


In The Shadows

by orphan_account



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-19
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-12-12 06:57:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/808627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><img/><br/>Banner by stormy</p><p>Once upon a time, the Hey! Say! JUMP members were stalked by crazy fangirls. When Chinen starts receiving threats again, not only Yuya is worried about him. Chinen, on the other hand, is more worried about Yuya becoming the target, in the end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everyone! Yup, like I announced, my first Takachii story! Hope you guys will give it a try, I put a lot of thought into it. The prologue is only a short introduction into the story, the real thing only begins with Chapter 1, which will be posted soon. Hope you’ll like it!
> 
> PS: For readers who read my Akame Story [Right Behind You](http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/tag/right-behind-you/) – though this story revolves around a similar topic, the stalking, it will be completely different from my former Multichapter, not only down to the pairing, but also from the development of the story. So don’t just write it off as a second RBY, please ;)

Chinen’s POV

_I peeked out of the curtain through our living room window, searching, spotting them easily – lurking on the other side of the street, watching our house. Soon, they spotted me, too, and I was blinded by the flashes of cameras. I heard them scream my name before I let the curtain fall closed again, hiding me from their eyes._

_I heard the front door open and close again with an angry “Bang”, and the loud voice of my sister calling: “Yuri, I swear, if those stalker fans of yours are not gone in like 10 seconds, I’m gonna kill someone!”_

_“Saya!” Mom chided her. “It’s not Yuri’s fault! Besides, I already contacted the police. They’ll be here any moment!”_

_“I’m so sick of this!” Saya groaned, and I heard her kick her shoes off violently. “Why does our house have to be under a 24-hours watch?! I feel like moving out to live alone in the middle of the forest or something! At least then, I’d have some privacy!”_

_“If_ you _feel like that, imagine how your brother feels!” Mom snapped in annoyance. “So will you stop being so egocentric?! You’re not the only one on edge around here!”_

_Silently, I made my way across the room. Saya and Mom fell silent as they heard my footsteps, and they were looking my way as I came into view, leaning against the doorway, trying to make myself as small as I could in front of their eyes._

_“Sorry” I said weakly. “I know you’re all suffering because of me. I wish I could do something…”_

_“Quit Johnny’s then, or something!” Saya groaned, pushing past us down the corridor._

_“Saya!” Mom called angrily._

_“What?! It’s true!” she yelled, turning once more to face us at the foot of the stairs. “As long as he stays in the public eye like this, there will always be crazy people!”_

_“It’s not your decision, though, it’s Yuri’s!” Mom said matter-of-factly. “And if this is what he wants to do, we will support him, no matter what. Cause that’s what a family does. Got it?!”_

_“Whatever” Saya groaned, rolling her eyes and turning her back to us, running up the stairs. I flinched as she threw the door shut behind herself._

_“Don’t take her words to heart, hun” Mom said quietly, watching me with worried eyes. “She’s just a little itchy because of her exams coming close.”_

_“It’s not like she’s not right, though” I sighed, slouching further against the doorframe, depressed._

_“It will all pass, you’ll see” Mom smiled, stepping a little closer to ruffle my hair affectionately. I groaned in protest, and Mum chuckled before disappearing back into the kitchen._

_It was that moment that I heard the police arrive. I walked back to the window, peeking outside again, watching the way they hauled the girls outside off. Some protested violently._

_“Yuri!” Someone called desperately. “Chinen, I love you!”_

_I felt sick to the bone. The affectionate words suddenly sounded poisonous. I let the curtain fall closed again, but I could still hear the screams._

_“Yuri! YURI!”_

“YURI!”

I woke up with a start, breathing heavily. I needed a moment to understand that I was in my bed, and it was my mother who had called me, standing in the doorway.

“Everything alright, hun?” she asked, looking at me worriedly.

I tried to get my breathing under control again, and gave her the best smile I could muster at the moment.

“Sure, just had a nightmare.”

“Alright, then” she sighed. “I just wanted to let you know we’re off to the airport.”

“Okay” I nodded. “Have fun in Hawaii!”

“Thanks! Take care of yourself, okay?” she said quietly, looking at me in that overprotective way of hers. As if I would just go and get myself killed the moment she was gone. “If anything happens, call. You have the number of our hotel, and our cell phones will stay turned on as well, so-“

“I get it, Mom” I sighed. “Just go already, you have a plane to catch!”

“Alright, alright” she chuckled, smiling at me. “Bye, then!”

“Bye! Have a save flight!” I called after her, and she smiled once more before closing the door behind her.

I lay back down, trying to calm down my racing heartbeat. It had been a while, since I had dreamt of those days. It made me feel uneasy to remember them. Even if Saya had apologized many times for her behavior back then, the way she had moved out first thing after she had graduated told more than words about how much of a strain my issues had been on my family. It had been 4 years, but it still made me feel guilty.

I took a deep breath before trying to shake off the dark thoughts and getting up. I walked across the room, opening the curtains, taking in the sunshine outside. I smiled at the good weather. Perfect conditions for our last concert tonight.

I was just about to turn to my cupboard when I thought I saw something moving in the shadows of the tree in our garden. I frowned, my eyes searching, but I did not find anything. Maybe it had been a cat or something.

“I must be becoming paranoid” I shook my head at myself before turned to rummage for clothes to wear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/08/03/multichapter-in-the-shadows-prologue/


	2. hapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! After the rather short prologue, now the first chapter! Hope you will like it! If you do, please review – I’ve not really gotten a lot of responses for the Prologue, though I know there must have been people who read it. So please, take a minute to give me a short comment! It would really mean the world to me!

„Thank you, guys, you were awesome tonight!“ Ryosuke called as we slowly made our way off the stage, still grinning and waving enthusiastically, hyped from the show.

“You are the best!” Hikaru added.

“We love you!” I yelled, smiling one more time into the crowd before following Keito backstage. Yuya was behind me, poking me into the side teasingly, calling: “We are dooone. Tour is over.”

“A little sad, isn’t it?” I sighed wistfully, reveling at the screams of the fans that were still to be heard. “It was fun.”

“I’m kind of glad for a break” Kota sighed, plopping down into the first chair he could find as soon as we had reached the dressing room. “One more night on stage and I might have needed a hip replacement!”

“Someone’s getting old?” Kei teased. Kota just made a face at him.

I chuckled as I stole a bottle of water from Yuya’s desk the moment he wasn’t looking, taking a sip. He glared at me playfully as he noticed, and I smirked, handing it back, now half-empty.

“Brat” Yuya murmured, and I laughed as I let myself fall into my chair as well, sighing in relief as my sore muscles relaxed.

I needed a moment before my eyes fell onto the desk, and onto a white envelop lying upon it. I frowned, taking it, looking at it in confusion. There was nothing written on it except my name in a neat handwriting. I pulled it open, letting the content fall into the palm of my hand.

There were a couple of photos, and a little note. I stole a look at the photos for a moment, gasping quietly in shock as I realized they were all of me. Taken in front of my house. As I was leaving for work; as I was getting the post, or taking out the trash.

Kota was just throwing his towel at Hikaru and Kei, who kept on teasing him, and the others laughed. I felt only Yuya’s eyes on me, but I did not look up to meet them, instead unfolding the note in my hand with slightly shaky fingers.

 _“I am watching you,”_ it read.

My stomach sank, and I stared at the note incredulous.

“Chinen?” I heard Yuya ask gently, and finally I looked up at him. He was frowning at me, looking worried. “Everything alright?” he asked, nodding to the papers in my hand.

I did not know what to respond. Wordlessly, I handed the photos and the note over to him. Yuya took it from me, looking at them in confusion. His eyes widened as realization hit him.

“What the-?!” he murmured.

Yuya’s words caught the attention of the others, and they turned to us, blinking.

“What happened?” Daiki was the first to ask.

“Someone’s stalking Chinen!” Yuya said loudly, waving with the photos in his hand. Ryosuke snatched them from his, taking a look at them himself. Yuto peeked over his shoulder.

“Those seem like Paparazzi shots to me” he shrugged.

“And Paparazzi leave a note telling him that they are _watching him_?!” Yuya scoffed, raising his voice a little.

The room was silent for a moment, before Daiki murmured worriedly: “I thought the days of fans lurking in front of our houses were over.”

“Don’t start panicking just yet” Ryosuke said matter of factly, still looking at the photos in his hands with skeptic eyes. “Say, Chinen, did you actually see anyone around lately?”

“No, I don’t think so” I said quietly, frowning.

“See? You would have noticed fangirls camping out in your garden” Ryosuke shrugged, handing the photos back to me. “Maybe this is just some bad joke or something.”

“But isn’t that even creepier, if he didn’t even notice them?” Kota said quietly, looking uneasy.

“Sounds kind of like in a bad horror movie. _Big brother is watching you_ and that kind of shit” Hikaru nodded, frowning.

“Right” Yuya nodded, taking the photos from my hand again, looking at them once more. “I don’t like it. It creeps me out. What if it’s someone dangerous?”

“Halloween is in October, Yuya, you’re too early” Kei scoffed.

“This is not funny!” he snapped.

“Yuya, I think you’re exaggerating” Keito frowned. “Chinen has not even seen anyone around, he said! Let’s save the panic for when he does!”

“I think so, too” Ryosuke nodded. “Let’s wait and see.”

“I still agree with Yuya that you should be careful, Chinen” Daiki frowned. “This kind of gives me goose bumps.”

“Thank you” Yuya murmured idly. “And by the way, did you not tell me just before the concert that your parents left for holidays this morning, meaning you’re alone at home?”

I felt a few more gazes on me at that comment, but I held Yuya’s gaze as his dark eyes burned into mine.

“That’s true” I said finally. “But-“

“See!” Yuya interrupted me, looking into the round. “Think of what can happen! Maybe I should stay with him for tonight, and-“

“I can watch out for myself, Yuya” I said finally, chuckling a little. “The days I needed you to babysit me are definitely over.”

“This has got nothing to do with babysitting!” Yuya groaned, turning to me again. “I’m worried about you, idiot!”

“And I appreciate it” I said gently. “But, and please don’t take this the wrong way – you have a slight tendency to become hysteric, Yuya, and-“

“ _A slight tendency_?!” Kei repeated, chuckling. “He once called me because there was a bug in his bathroom.”

Yuya threw him a death glare. Ryosuke spoke up before he could open his mouth to fight back.

“Why don’t we just agree for now to wait and watch out for anyone suspicious?” Ryosuke said finally. “Chinen, you can call us anytime when something happens, okay?”

“I know” I nodded, smiling at him. “Thanks. But you’re right; I guess it’s just a bad joke.”

“You should still double-lock the door tonight, I think” Kota murmured, and Daiki nodded.

Yuya kept quiet, a sour look on his face.

***

As I made my way out of the building, I stared at my phone, reading the message Mom had sent earlier, telling me they had arrived safely. For a moment, I remembered her warning for me to call the moment something happened. I shook the thought off quickly. The last thing I wanted to do was worry her needlessly in their first vacation in 2 years.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped, turning around almost violently, shrugging it off.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I recognized Yuya in front of me, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“And you’re telling me that you’re not scared?!” he scoffed.

“That was a reflex” I muttered embarrassedly, stuffing my phone back into my pocket.

“I’m still taking you home” Yuya sighed, wiggling with the car keys in his other hand. “I don’t feel so good about letting you take the subway alone.”

“You’re worrying too much” I sighed.

“So what if I do?!” Yuya challenged, and though his tone was harsh, his eyes were soft. “It’s not the first time one of us was stalked.”

“And no one was hurt back then, either” I reminded him.

“No one got threats, either” Yuya reminded me. “I’m just telling you to not take this too lightly, is that too much to ask?!”

I did not answer for a moment, just meeting his gaze, seeing the sincere worry in Yuya’s eyes. Yuya had always had the tendency to take care of me – there was a reason why I had called him “Nii-Chan” when we were younger. He seemed easy-going and thoughtless on the outside, but I had known him long enough to see the deep loyalty he possessed inside. It made it hard, to be annoyed over his worry.

“Fine, I promise to watch out” I said finally. Yuya kept my gaze for another moment before he nodded.

“Okay” he said. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

***

It was almost funny, to see Yuya this tense when he parked in front of my house. His eyes seemed to want to take in everything at once, double-checking every mirror, craning his neck to look out of the window. I bit my lip and tried hard not to grin. Yuya had always been easy to freak out – tell him a scary story, and he would jump at every unexpected movement for weeks to come. It was hard to believe that _he_ was actually the 22-year-old between us.

“Thanks for taking me home” was all I said though, gulping down the wave of teasing comments that was rushing down on me.

“Don’t mention it” Yuya murmured, undoing his seat belt.

“You don’t need to walk me to the door” I said, a chuckle finally escaping my lips.

Yuya ignored my comment and was out of the door before I could respond any further, and I rolled my eyes to myself before getting out of the car as well.

Yuya was walking ahead up the steps to our front door, his eyes scanning the depths of our garden. He seemed so absorbed in his task that I could not resist to poke his back and say “Booh!”, laughing as he actually jumped a little.

“You think this is funny, right?!” Yuya groaned, and I bit my lip to unsuccessfully keep myself from smiling.

“A little” I admitted, and Yuya glared. “Come on, what do you expect?! People jumping out of the bushes with an axe in hand?!”

“Who knows what kind of crazy people are out there?!” Yuya shrugged. “Besides, I shouldn’t be the one scared by all of this! You are the target, idiot!

“Don’t worry, I can watch out for myself” I chuckled, rummaging through my pockets for my keys.

“Says the guy who’s barely taller than a gnome” Yuya murmured under his breath. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he fell silent. “Alright, I’ll shut up” he finally capitulated. “But still, just in case – if anything happens, call me, okay?” he said seriously, catching my eyes. “If I’m fast, I take no more than 10 minutes from my flat to your house. And I’ll keep my phone turned on, just in case.”

“Okay” I nodded, smiling at him before turning to unlock the door.

“Alright, then” Yuya sighed. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at work?”

“Yup” I nodded, waving at him. “And stop thinking so much about this issue, or you will have nightmares. I’m in no mood to answer your calls in the middle of the night again because you think there is a schizophrenic murderer in your apartment!”

“That was just this one time!” Yuya groaned, but the sides of his mouth twitched in a suppressed smile. “And _you_ made me watch that horror movie!”

I smirked, slipping into the door. I waved one more time at Yuya, and said: “See you tomorrow!”

Yuya nodded, not being able to keep from saying: “Watch out, and lock the door!” before he turned to leave. I tried hard not to roll my eyes as I closed the door behind me.

I kicked off my shoes leisurely before strolling towards the kitchen. I opened the window a little, annoyed by the strong smell of spices that dominated the kitchen every time it was kept unventilated for too long, and snatched myself a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

Then I went to the living room, letting myself drop onto the couch with a relieved sigh, turning on the TV. I opened the water bottle, taking a huge sip as I zapped through the channels for something to watch. I stayed put on some Arashi variety show (I could never really tell them apart), when I thought I saw something moving through the window in the garden.

I flashed a quick look outside, but saw nothing. Shaking my head at myself, I redirected the eyes to the screen. Yuya must be rubbing off on me.

I tried to focus on the show once more, but somehow, I got the weird feeling that I was being watched. Feeling ridiculous, I looked back to the window… And gasped, freezing.

There was a dark figure standing in the shadows of our tree, unmistakably staring into my direction. I stopped breathing, staring back with wide eyes. My mind went blank, just one thought accompanying the sick panic spreading through my body: _Shit_.

The figure did not move, just standing there unmoving, too far for me to recognize any of its features, other than him being manly for sure, but near enough to not leave any doubt about that he was looking at _me_ , and that he was not just there by coincidence.

It needed a moment for my brain cells to call back to duty again, but the first though that crossed my mind was that I had not, despite the warnings, locked the door. I got up from the couch slowly, my eyes not leaving the figure as I moved backwards towards the corridor. It was when I bumped into the doorframe that the figure started to move out of the shadows, towards the house.

I tripped over my own feet in my haste to get to the door, and when I looked up from the floor, the figure was out of my sight. Thinking he had gone for the front door, aware of my slip, I jumped up, running for it. I fumbled with the keys when I managed to reach it, my fingers not listening to my panicked orders, as I heard noises from the kitchen.

My stomach sank. _The open window._

I tried to think rationally, but all sense seemed to have left me in my panic. So I decided to just run. Without throwing a look into the kitchen as I passed it, afraid of what I would see if I did, and without wasting another second to think, I sprinted through the corridor, almost falling up the stairs in my haste to get to my room. I could unmistakably hear someone entering through the kitchen window as I closed the door behind me, locking it.

I stood still for a moment, my heartbeat droning in my ears. Then I heard footsteps downstairs.

My hands flew to my pocket without thinking, only one thought on my mind: _Yuya._

My hands were shaking as I searched for his number. I pressed “Dial” the moment I heard someone coming up the stairs.

I backed up against a wall, praying under my breath for Yuya to answer. He took the call on the second ring.

“Chinen?” he asked, and I could tell from the noises in the background that he was still in the car. “Everything alright?”

“There is someone in my house” I whimpered, my voice unnaturally high.

“WHAT?!” Yuya called, and I could hear the sound of screaming breaks. For a moment, I waited for the sounds of a car crash, but they did not come. “Shit. I’ll be there any moment.”

“Hurry!” I whispered, flinching as the footsteps stopped in front of my door. There was some rustling at the doorknob in an attempt to open the door.

“Give me 2 minutes” Yuya said. “Lock yourself in and search for something to defend yourself with!”

“Gotcha” I breathed, gulping as there were more violent pulls at the doorknob.

The line went dead as Yuya hung up. My eyes skimmed the room, searching for something, _anything_ that would serve me as a weapon when that guy managed to break down the door (because that was obviously what he was trying to do). I cursed myself for not having chosen baseball or something as a sport. A bat would have come in way handier than tumbling utensils.

In my desperation, I reached for a lexicon from my bookshelf, when I heard the sound of a car breaking abruptly in front of the house. The pulling on the doorknob stopped, a clear sign that the burglar was also aware of Yuya’s arrival.

I heard a car door fly open, and only seconds later the front door was torn open as well.

“CHINEN?!” I heard Yuya call, obviously panicked.

There were footsteps to be heard again, this time moving away from my room. Yuya called my name again, and then, there were too many noises for me to figure out what was happening anymore.

More hasty footsteps, up and down the stairs. Yuya’s voice yelling something. Someone bumping against the stair rail. Angry groans.

And then suddenly a scream from Yuya, and loud bumbs, until there was silence. It made my blood freeze in my veins. Before I knew it, I had let the lexicon in my hand drop and leaped for the door, unlocking it. When I finally managed to open it, I ran for the stairs, just in time to see a dark figure disappearing through the front door.

I stood at the head of the stairs, looking down, spotting Yuya on the ground, not moving. Blood was staining the wood where his head lay, his brown hair hiding his face from my sight.

“YUYA!” I yelled, but my own voice seemed to myself as if it came from far away. I felt like I was falling, without a safety net.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/08/07/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-1/


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here I am again, calling out desperately for attention once more – dear HSJ fanfiction readers, if you are out there, reading this, PLEASE take the time to leave a review. For a fanfiction author, reviews are the only way of being rewarded. You don’t even have to log yourself in on this blog or something – you can leave an anonymus comment, if you want. Just please, leave me something to work with – the thought that there’s nobody out there acknowledging this is kind of sad. I know my pathetic, desperate drabbling is probably annoying, but if you put your heart into a story and hardly get any response, it’s frustrating. So please set yourself in my shoes and give me some kind of shout out, okay?

I needed a moment or two, before I could make my feet move again. My knees were shaky as I ran down the stairs, but I tried to pull myself together, because clearly, this was not the right moment to break down.

“Yuya?!” I called again, but it sounded more like a whimper as I fell to my knees next to him, my hand flying to his shoulder. I shook him softly at first, because I did not know how badly he was hurt, but when he did not react immediately, my moves became more violent and my voice more desperate. “Yuya! Answer! YUYA!”

My free hand flew to his face, and I swept his hair gently away, just in time to see him blink. My breath got caught in my throat.

“Yuya” I repeated, no louder than a whisper.

Yuya’s eyes focused on mine, and a lump in my throat kept me from saying anything more.

“Is he gone?” Yuya asked, his voice strangely weak, for his usual cheerful chatter.

I could do nothing more but nod.

“Good” he breathed, and flinched before his hand flew to his forehead, searching for the wound.

“Are you okay?” I asked when I finally found my voice again, only it came out strangely rough.

“I think so” he murmured, sitting up. He groaned in pain as he tried to push himself off with his right hand, and my hand stayed on his shoulder, steadying him as he observed his slightly swollen wrist with a frown.

“You’re bleeding” I pointed out weakly. “And your hand is hurt.”

“Only a laceration and a few bruises, I bet” he sighed, but his eyes were strangely unfocused, and it freaked me out. Quickly, I reached for a tissue from the cupboard nearby, crawling closer to him to be able to look into his face, gently pressing the cloth to his wound. Yuya made a face.

“I think we should go to the hospital” I said finally. “This looks pretty bad.”

“It’s nothing” Yuya waved it off.

“You fell down a set of stairs!” I pointed out, my voice more vehement in my worry. “You were unconscious when I found you!”

“I was?” he asked, slightly confused.

“Yes!” I said pointedly, reaching for his unhurt hand and moving it to his forehead so he would hold the cloth to his wound himself. “Can you get up?”

Yuya nodded, moving to get to his feet, but he was as unsteady as I had feared. He staggered, and I put my arm around his waist quickly, holding him steady.

“Give me the keys, I’m driving” I demanded, and Yuya surrendered, obviously not trusting his own driving skills either, in his current state. “Alright, let’s go” I nodded, my grip on Yuya tight as we made our way to the door.

The dark figure was nowhere to be seen, but at the moment, I could not care less.

***

“I’m gonna kill him, whoever he is!” Hikaru groaned, leaping for the door of Yuya’s hospital room. Kota caught him at the sleeve, holding him back.

“Just scream it out to the world, so it will be all over the press tomorrow!” he snapped.

“There are more important things now, Kota!” Hikaru groaned, glaring at him in a way more menacing than a hungry panther. If I had had it in me to care , I would have wondered how Kota did not look scared. Maybe he had known him long enough to be able to tell apart Hikaru’s states off “Seriously pissed” and “Seriously ready to kill”.

“What do you want to do, anyways?!” he pointed out reasonably. “Killing the first person you see walking by Chinen’s house?!”

“No, only the first one trying to break in!” he snapped, shrugging off Kota’s hand. “You know, I’m slightly touchy when it comes to almost killing my band mates!”

“He did not kill me” Yuya pointed out with a sigh, his eyes still closed, his head heavily bandaged as it rested against the pillow. I sat next to the bed, staring at his face, only peripherally picking up on the conversation of the others.

I had called Ryosuke first thing when we had arrived at the hospital and I had had Yuya admitted, because he had been the first person I could think of. Ryosuke had always been the one to call when something was wrong, well, besides Yuya, but he was out of question now.

Unfortunately, I had not reached him right away, so I had tried Kota, because even though he was slightly helpless sometimes, he _was_ still the oldest of us. He had been at Hikaru’s when he had picked up, and both of them had agreed to come immediately when they had heard what had happened.

Afterwards, Ryosuke had called back. He had been out for dinner with Yuto, and after I had told him the story, they had called for the bill right away. In the end, they had arrived only a minute after Kota and Hikaru.

“Still, there is nothing you can do just now” Kota pointed out weakly, still engaged in talking the enraged Hikaru down. “Or do you want to be the next one in the hospital? Or in prison, in case you attack the wrong person in your anger?!”

“Yuya was thrown off the stairs and you worry about me being caught by the police?!”

“Guys, could you please be quiet!” Ryosuke called angrily. “This is a freaking hospital, and Yuya has a concussion! So stop shouting, for god’s sake!”

“Actually, you are the loudest, Ryosuke” Yuya murmured, making a face. “I would not complain, but the pain killers have not quite kicked in yet.”

“Sorry” Ryosuke said quickly, looking guilty.

“But seriously, this is sick” Yuto said quietly, staring at Yuya’s face in alarm. “This guy broke into Chinen’s house! This is dangerous!”

“Yeah” Ryosuke admitted, obviously worried. “We might have underestimated the situation.”

“ _Might have?!”_ Hikaru repeated sarcastically, and I shushed him up when Yuya flinched at his loud voice.

“But what are we going to do now?“ Kota murmured worriedly. Hikaru looked like he had a few suggestions, but he kept quiet.

“Maybe we should just take Chinen to one of our houses for tonight” Ryosuke suggested. “Fact is, he should not sleep alone at home.”

“And I don’t think anyone’s keen on sleeping there with him, either” Yuto murmured, shuddering.

“I can stay with Yuya” I said finally, speaking up for the first time in minutes. Yuya opened his eyes to look at me. “I mean, he is hurt, so he should not be left alone anyways.”

“I think that’s a good idea” Ryosuke nodded. “I don’t think he will find you at Yuya’s place. It will give us some time to think.”

“Shouldn’t we go to the police?” Yuto suggested quietly. “After tonight, who knows what can happen!”

Kota was about to say something, but Hikaru cut him off, groaning: “One more word about the press and I’ll make sure you get a bed next to Yuya.”

“Kota is not wrong, though” Ryosuke murmured. “The last time we were stalked, the press _was_ aware, and it did not really help the situation.”

“So you suggest we should just wait and see?!” Hikaru demanded incredulous.

“Maybe Yuya chased him away?” Ryosuke shrugged.

“You are incredible” Hikaru groaned, shaking his head. “You and your optimism will have us killed someday, and obviously, Chinen will be the first!”

“All he’s saying is that we should stay calm!” Kota murmured. “And you would do well in trying that, too.”

Hikaru glared, but shut up. It was then that the doctor entered the room, interrupting our conversation.

It turned out Yuya indeed had a slight concussion, and a partially fractured wrist. At first, he was keen on keeping Yuya in for the night, but when I assured him that I would stay with him to make sure he rested, and Ryosuke promised to call the management to get Yuya off work for the next day, he reluctantly agreed to dismiss him.

“But make sure he stays away from stairs” he murmured under his breath, and Hikaru looked like he wanted to say something sarcastic about it always being better for Yuya to stay away from stairs, but with one look at him on the bed, his bandaged head and hand, he seemed to take pity in him and let it be.

With a few strict words from Hikaru and Kota, and a promise from me to Ryosuke that I would call if anything was out of place, we said our goodbyes to the others and were off back to Yuya’s apartment. I had a steadying hand around Yuya’s waist again on our way to the car, but he seemed to have recovered his balance, because he did not seem to need my help.

When we arrived at his apartment, I had him sit down on the bed immediately, telling him to lie down.

“Do you need anything?” I asked restlessly, keen on doing everything I could. “How about water? I’ll get you a glass of water. Or do you prefer tea? I’ll make some. Just wait a moment and-“

“Chinen” Yuya murmured, looking up at me with that look in his eyes that told me he was worrying about _me_ again, which was not right, because obviously, he was the one hurt and not me. “Just calm down. I don’t need anything.”

“How about food?” I continued, ignoring his input. “You missed dinner because of me. I’ll try to put something together. And bring your tea.”

“Yuri” Yuya sighed, but I was already off to the kitchen.

I only noticed that I was shaking when I opened the door to the fridge, searching for anything eatable. Yuya had never been the greatest cook, even though he was able to fix himself something when he needed to, but in a time as busy with work as we were at the moment, his fridge was almost empty.

Out of inspiration, I grabbed a cup of instant noodles from the cupboard and reached for the water cooker, when Yuya’s hand grabbed mine, keeping it still.

“Yuri” he said soothingly. “I said I don’t need anything. Calm down.”

“But I have to do something” I murmured weakly. I bet Yuya could feel my hand shaking in his.

“You don’t have to do anything” he said softly, and it was one of those moments that I knew he could see through me like I was made out of glass, and all my thoughts and feelings were displayed for him like in a zoo. Yuya had always had that talent, to know exactly what I was thinking just when it mattered. “You did nothing wrong, Yuri.”

“It’s my fault you’re hurt, though” I whispered, not being able to speak louder because of the lump that had mysteriously found its way back to my throat. I blinked, my eyes focusing on the instant noodles in my hand, just to not have to look at Yuya’s face.

“It’s not your fault!” Yuya said strongly, his grip on my hand tightening. “You did not throw me down those stairs, did you?!”

“I shouldn’t have called you, though” I murmured.

“Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t?!” he groaned, pulling at my arm, turning me around to face him, but still I did not look up. “I _asked_ you to call me. And I would come again if you called. If I’m able to protect you, I don’t care how badly I get hurt, okay?!”

“But _I_ care!” I said loudly, my voice breaking a little, and eyes filling with tears. I blinked furiously. _Shit_. “I don’t want to lose you, okay?!”

“You won’t” Yuya said gently, moving closer. He let go of my hand to be able to pull me against his chest. I buried my face in his T-Shirt and tried hard not to cry. “I’m not that easy to kill, okay? So stop blaming yourself. You should worry about your own safety, and not mine.”

I was unable to answer, as I was losing the fight against my own tears, and Yuya’s arms around me tightened. He held me while I cried, and my hands fisted his T-Shirt, holding onto him, not wanting to let go. The thought that with one wrong movement, with only a slightly different angle of his fall, I could have lost him completely was haunting me, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not stop the tears.

“I cannot lose you, okay?” I said finally, my voice high even for my standards. “I need you.”

“I’m here” Yuya breathed into my ear before resting his chin on the top of my head. “Stop worrying about me and calm down.”

I nodded, taking a few deep breaths before letting go of him, taking a step backwards, embarrassedly wiping at my tears. Yuya’s eyes were on my face, and he ruffled my hair affectionately before searching for my hand again, taking it and pulling me out of the kitchen.

“Come on, let’s go to sleep” he said gently, leading me towards the bed. “We both need it desperately.”

I nodded, letting Yuya push me onto the matrices, only holding in when I voiced reluctantly that I should at least remove my jeans.

It was not the first time Yuya and I had slept in his bed together – there had been more than one spontaneous movie night which had resulted in a sleep over – but never before had I purposefully moved this close to his side of the bed to be able to feel his warmth.

And never before had he reached out to pull me into him, either.

***

We were woken up the next morning by the sound of my cell phone going off. Yuya’s only response was to smash his face into the pillow and groan, while I scrambled my limbs together to search for the source of the noise, which I had left in the pocket of my jeans when I had removed them last night.

When I finally managed to take the call, it turned out to be Ryosuke with news from the management.

“We managed to get Yuya out of today’s Shounen Club when we said he fell down some stairs and got himself a concussion” he explained. “But you will have to go. I could not really give them a good reason as to why you should get the day off without alerting them of the situation.”

“It’s okay” I said quickly. “I want to work. It keeps me occupied.”

“Okay” Ryosuke said. “Yuto agreed to take Yuya’s place in the show, next to you and Keito. You could meet Yuto in the subway, so you don’t have to go alone.”

“Alright” I nodded, though he could not see me. “Thanks for everything.”

“Don’t mention it” he said gently, before asking: “How is Yuya?”

I threw a short look towards what was to be seen of him in between the blanket and the pillows, which was no more than a mob of messy brown hair and his bare feet.

“He looks quite dead to me” I said, cracking a small smile, and when I received a groan from Yuya in protest, I knew he was awake.

“Is that good or bad?” Ryosuke checked, but I could hear the smile in his voice, so I knew he could tell I was joking.

“It’s normal, at least” I chuckled. Yuya had never been a morning person.

“I guess he’ll live, then” Ryosuke laughed, and Yuya raised his head from the pillow to glare at me with tired eyes.

***

Yuya made an effort to stay awake long enough to have breakfast with me before I took off to work. He tried to not show any signs of injury to me, probably to not make me worry for him again, but when I came out of the bath after a quick shower, I saw him hastily hide a box of pain killers.

Nevertheless, he reminded me to be careful when he saw me off, and told me to stay close to Yuto and Keito to avoid the possibility of being caught alone.

“Stop worrying about me and get some more sleep” I advised. “Or you can’t come with us for the photo shoot in Kyushu tomorrow.”

“Something about how we always keep telling each other to stop worrying is plainly wrong” Yuya murmured, seeming slightly amused.

“Maybe we should stop worrying, then” I suggested, and Yuya raised an eyebrow at me.

“Not possible” we said at the same time, and Yuya laughed, stopping quickly though to hold his forehead in pain.

“Get some sleep” I repeated. “I’ll be back after work, and we’ll decide on what to do then.”

“Okay” Yuya nodded, smiling. “Be safe.”

I smiled back, before I took off, keen on not missing the train in which I was supposed to meet Yuto.

***

Keito was confused, when I turned up with Yuto instead of Yuya, which resulted in him bombarding me with questions all throughout the preparation time for the show, until I had retold the story of last night’s events for him in all detail. He reacted rather like Hikaru – with anger, and the impulse to do something about the situation.

“I can understand what Kota is saying about avoiding the attention of the press” he said. “But we can’t just sit and wait until he finds you. We have to search that guy before anything more happens.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?!” Yuto asked, seeming alarmed. “We don’t even know who he is!”

“Then we are going to find out!” Keito shrugged. “We could install cameras at your place or something. A guy lingering in your garden is supposed to stand out, right?”

“Can we just leave the discussion for after the show or something?” I asked, already tired of the topic. “I feel anxious as it is.”

“This is not something you can run away from, Chinen” Keito said, catching my eyes. “It could become dangerous. Something could happen to you. Or Yuya when he is trying to save you again, because we both know this is what he will do.”

I gulped at his words, but kept quiet, not knowing what to respond. After a few moments in silence, Keito let it drop for now, and began to get dressed. I tried hard to concentrate on my task, but it was difficult.

***

“Thank you, Fujigaya-Senpai” I said as the Kis-my-ft2 member went on stand-by after his interview with us, meeting his band mates for the performance. “And now we are looking forward to Kis-my-ft2’s new single “WANNA BEEEE!”, out on sale on-“

I took a short look at my notes for the date, and froze, realizing there had slid a card into them that was not my own. For a moment, I thought it was Keito or Yuto’s, until I read the sentence that was printed onto it.

_“Do you know how it feels, to lose someone?”_

I felt all my blood drain from my face as I stared at the card, forgetting where I was, that I was live on TV in front of thousands of fans. I could not breathe.

There was a moment of silence, and I felt Keito and Yuto’s eyes on me, before Keito began to speak up.

“Yup, we are all impressed to speechlessness by the song, just like Chinen-Kun over here. It will be out on sale next Monday – be sure to buy it! And now, enjoy the performance!”

I did barely hear Keito’s words covering up my slip before the camera’s focus switched to the performance, and Keito grabbed my arm, pulling me backstage.

“What’s wrong?” he hissed, worried. “Did you see someone?! Is he out there?!”

Wordlessly, I handed him the fake card. Yuto glanced over Keito’s shoulder to read it.

“He is after Yuya” I whispered, my pulse rushing in my ears. Keito and Yuto looked back at me in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thoughts? Criticism? Existential fears about Yuya and Chinen? XD Please, once more the reminder – leave a review to tell me about your thoughts. I’m not a big fan of the tool some authors use, threatening to stop posting if a certain number of reviews is not being reached (though it’s tempting, because it surely seems effective, sometimes :P), so I’m keeping to appealing to your kindness. Please have some compassion with me, okay? ;)
> 
> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/08/17/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-2/


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the last chapter, it really made me so happy! :D Please continue to comment, and everyone who still hasn’t found the courage, please do so – once again, you don’t need to log in. Just leave a comment in the little box down there at the end of this page :) Now, onto the story. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
> 
> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/08/28/2258/

On an impulse, I ran for the dressing room. I heard Keito and Yuto call after me, but I did not let them stop me as I lunged for my things, searching for my cell phone.

I needed to call Yuya, to hear if he was alright. Maybe the guy had already gotten to him, and… I did not want to think about what could be happening if he really had.

I needed to hear his voice. _Now._

“Chinen” Keito called as he appeared at the door, slightly breathless. “What are you doing?!”

I did not answer, gasping as my shaky fingers finally closed around my phone. Hastily, I searched for Yuya’s name in my contacts.

“Chinen!” Keito called again, but I shushed him violently, holding the phone to my ear. “The show is going to continue in about 20 seconds!” he murmured, a little panicked. “What are you-?!”

I desperately tried to drone his voice out, instead concentrating on the ringing of the phone.

“Take it” I murmured feebly. “Come on, take it…”

3 rings… 4… 5… “Hi, this is Takaki Yuya. I’m sorry, but apparently, I cannot take your call right now. Leave a message, or try again later. Ja ne!”

Voice Mail. My heart sank.

“Chinen!” Keito groaned again, and suddenly, his hand was on my shoulder, and he was shaking me. “I bet Yuya is fine! Let’s just finish the show, and-“

“Fuck the show!” I yelled, shrugging his hand off, redialing. “There are more important things right now!”

“Chinen” Keito sighed, a helpless ache to his voice, and I would have felt sorry for him, if I had not been that panicked. I closed my eyes again, willing the ringing to stop and for Yuya to take it…

Until he did.

“Yes?” Yuya’s rough voice answered.

“Are you okay?!” I burst out desperately.

“Yes” Yuya murmured, dumbfounded. “Why shouldn’t I be?”

“You sound weird” I prodded. “And why did you not answer the phone?!”

“I was sleeping!” he pointed out. “Just like you told me to. Yuri, what’s wrong?”

I did not answer right away, trying to even out my breathing. Everything was okay. Yuya was fine. I had overreacted, just like Keito had told me.

Keito stared at me impatiently, and as my silence continued, he snatched the phone away from me, holding it to his own ear.

“Yuya? Sorry, but Chinen got another threat, and he freaked. But we are still in the middle of the show, so I’ll call you back, okay? Don’t worry, everyone is fine.”

I heard Yuya say something on the other end of the line, but I could not make out what it was. Keito hung up and grabbed my shoulder, making me look up at him.

“Chinen” he said gently. “I know that you are scared after what happened last night, but please get yourself together for a few more minutes. The show is almost done, and if we don’t return to stage right now, everyone will know something is off, and that will not make things easier. So please, okay?”

I nodded, almost on auto-pilot. I barely realized how Keito grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the corridors, or how we joined Yuto back on stage, just like nothing had happened.

I just tried to smile and pretend that everything was alright, when all of my thoughts were revolving around Yuya, and the hunch that something terrible would happen to him.

***

“No, you’re not calling Yuya again!” Keito groaned as he snatched my phone out of my hand after the show, putting it out of my reach. “You will only freak him out even more in your state. You know how touchy Yuya is when it comes to you!”

“For your information, I _am_ already freaked out!” I snapped, glaring at him. “This is not just about me anymore, don’t you get it?!”

“The threat does not even mention a name!” Keito reminded me. “How do you know it’s about Yuya?! It could be anyone! Personally, I think he just wants to scare you so you will do something stupid!”

“I just know, okay?!” I murmured desperately. “I know it’s about him. And that something will happen.”

“Chinen” Keito sighed, his voice turning more gentle. “I know you’re really scared right now. I guess everyone would freak. But please calm down and try to be rational. You are making everything worse if you’re like this.”

I fell silent, and Keito and I stared at each other. The moment was interrupted by Yuto’s timid voice.

“But what are we going to do now?” he asked. “I mean, how did he even get to put the card between Chinen’s notes? How did he get in here?”

Keito sighed heavily, letting himself fall into a chair, frowning.

“I wish I knew that” he murmured.

“That guy is dangerous” Yuto whispered. “It could be anyone! How are we supposed to find out?!”

“Didn’t Yuya see him from up close?” Keito asked, looking up at me questioningly. “Maybe he could recognize him, or give us a description or something!”

“I don’t know” I shrugged. “I didn’t ask him.”

“Then we should go and talk to him” Keito suggested. “We can decide what to do afterwards.”

“Shouldn’t we call the others, too?” Yuto asked.

“Ryosuke is busy with Kindaichi promo all day” I reminded him. “Hikaru has Dream Boys rehearsals. And Kota is supposed to be the guest of Nakamaru-Senpai’s radio show tonight. We can’t just keep them from work.”

“Then let’s call Daiki and Kei, at least” Keito said firmly. “It’s their day off, as far as I know. And they could go to your house and get some of your things for you. It’s too dangerous for you to go yourself, and you will need some stuff for the journey to Kyushu tomorrow.”

“But isn’t it too dangerous for them, too?” I murmured. “I don’t want the next one in the hospital!”

“I don’t think that he will attack them if they are together” Keito frowned. “Plus, Daiki can take care of himself, though he doesn’t look it. Have you ever seen him as a Sentai Ranger?”

I looked at him skeptically, but Keito raised his eyebrows in a meaningful way, so I decided to believe him.

Keito got up, grabbing his own cell phone, dialing.

“I’ll call them” he announced. “And afterwards, we’ll drive back to Yuya’s flat. I’m here with my Dad’s car, I can take you two with me.”

I nodded, leaning against the table behind me, feeling like every bit of control over my life was falling out of my hands, and I hated it.

***

When we arrived at Yuya’s apartment, Daiki and Kei were already there, cowering on Yuya’s couch, looking at me with eyes so sorry that I wanted to walk right out of the apartment again.

“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately, wanting to get straight to the point. I was in no mood for beating around the bush.

“Yuri, don’t freak, okay?” Yuya said gently, and I felt his unhurt hand on my shoulder, pushing me gently to sit down on the couch, too. “It’s just – there was another threat at your door.”

I looked up at Daiki questioningly, and he handed me a blank paper, with a single sentence scribbled upon it.

_“I will find you, no matter where.”_

I could still make out the stains from the tape with which the note had apparently been hefted to the door. I stared at the note, feeling numb, like I had gone through so many emotions in the last 24 hours that I was not able to feel anymore.

“This guy seriously freaks me out” Kei murmured finally. “He’s nothing like the fan girls that we are used to. He’s really dangerous.”

“Thanks, Kei” Keito murmured drily. “You’re really helping the situation.”

“I’m sorry” Kei groaned, holding up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying we might have underestimated the situation!”

“Ryosuke said the same thing last night” Yuto murmured. “But what are we going to do?”

There was a gloomy silence, before I said determinedly: “I’m gonna go home!”

Yuya’s head turned to me so fast that it must have hurt, with his concussion, but if it did, he didn’t let it on.

“Have you lost your mind?!” he called.

“I will only put you further in danger if I stay here!” I pointed out. “Don’t you get it?! I’m not the only target anymore!”

“We’ve been there, Chinen!” Keito reminded me. “I thought we had this settled?! He just wants to scare you, so you will do something stupid, like _going home_!”

“And what if not?!” I snapped at him, my voice rising. “I think _‘Do you know how it feels, to lose someone?’_ is pretty easily interpretable!”

“But Keito is right, he doesn’t have to mean Yuya” Yuto murmured. “It could be anyone!”

“Why is everyone trying so hard to deny the obvious?!” I shouted, anger flooding my veins as I rose from the couch. “Yuya was hurt once because of me, and I’m not going to let it happen again!”

“Yuri!” Yuya hissed, standing up, too, grabbing my shoulder, either to assure me or to hold me back, or a mix of both, I was not sure. “Calm down, okay?!”

“And why is everyone telling me to calm down?!” I snapped. “I am not calm! The situation is nothing to be calm about!”

“But it really doesn’t help if you freak out and hand yourself over, Chinen!” Kei pointed out, gaping at me. “This would be a little counterproductive.”

“Right” Keito nodded. “We’re trying to help you. Just trust us a little, okay?”

“This is not a matter of trust” I groaned. “I just want you to stop trying to deny that Yuya is in danger!”

“Okay” Daiki spoke up, standing up as well, holding his hands up for attention. “Let’s say, for arguments sake, that he really is after Yuya. Then this is another reason as to why you should stay here.”

“How that?” I frowned, turning to him.

“Well, if you stay together, you can watch out for each other, and make sure nothing happens” he explained. “What are you going to do if Yuya gets attacked when he is alone, because _you_ wanted to leave?!”

I stared at him, falling silent, realizing he had a point.

“Yuri” Yuya said again, his hand on my shoulder squeezing, and I looked up at him. “I know you are worried about me, but if you think I’ll just let you go home like that, you’re dead wrong. What do you think I fell down those stairs for?! Not so that you could sacrifice yourself. You’re staying here. Got it?”

I sighed, hanging my head in defeat, and finally nodded.

“Good” Kei sighed. “Glad we have that settled.”

“And what are we going to do?” Yuto asked again. “Against the stalker, I mean.”

“Maybe we should just wait until tomorrow, when we’re all together, and think of something then” Daiki suggested. When Keito looked at him unimpressed, he quickly added: “Listen, everyone’s emotions are running high now! Isn’t it better to calm down for a night so that we can think rationally again? Plus, we are going to stay in Kyushu overnight. He will hardly follow us throughout the country. We will have some peace.”

“I think that’s a good idea” Yuya announced, obviously keen on keeping me from freaking out again. His hand was still firm on my shoulder, as if he was afraid to let go.

“Fine” Keito gave in with a sour look. “But we really have to think of something soon. It can’t go on like that!”

“It can’t” Kei nodded, cracking a smile. “Chibi Chinen in riot mood is unexpectedly scary.”

I threw him a glare, and Yuya squeezed my shoulder again, apparently to soothe me.

***

I was staring up at the dark ceiling of Yuya’s room, unable to find my much needed sleep. I knew Yuya was awake, too – he was not still enough to be asleep. Usually, he slept like a stone, no movements, nothing. If it weren’t for his breathing, I’d sometimes wonder if he was still alive at all.

Yuya turned around in his restlessness, facing me. I could feel his eyes on my face, but I did not look back, until I felt him elbow me teasingly.

“You are supposed to sleep!” he scolded me.

“Look who’s talking” I shot back, unimpressed.

“I don’t count. I slept all throughout the day” he shrugged, pointing with his hurt hand to his forehead.

Without thinking, I caught his splinted hand in mine, tracing my finger over the bandages.

“Are you feeling better?” I asked quietly. “Does it still hurt?”

“Barely” Yuya shrugged. “Only when I lean onto it.”

“… Which is not something you should do, anyways!” I pointed out, but the corners of my mouth twitched in the ghost of a smile.

“Yeah, well” Yuya sighed. “I want to see you not using your right hand. I always forget that it’s hurt and use it out of an instinct.”

“I’m left-handed, so I wouldn’t have a problem” I teased.

“You know what I mean!” Yuya groaned, and I chuckled lightly, absentmindedly still running my fingers over the bandages. Yuya was watching me, and only when I noticed, I let go of his hand, slightly embarrassed.

“A-and your head?” I continued, stuttering slightly, though I could not figure out why.

“Barely feel it anymore” Yuya shrugged, smiling slightly. “I told you to stop worrying.”

“Some habits are hard to break” I sighed, returning my eyes back to the ceiling.

“I guess you’re right” Yuya murmured, before stretching and trying to find a more comfortable position. There was a moment of silence, before he continued: “Everything will be alright. You’ll see.”

“How do you know?” I whispered.

“Because it’s you” he teased, smiling. “You are freaking Chinen Yuri, the toughest half-midget I ever came across. When you want something, you get it, and you’re not gonna let some crazy stalker bring you down, right?”

I had to smile at his words, even though I tried to hide it.

“Right” I responded. “Save the half-midget part.”

Yuya laughed, and ruffled my hair with his unhurt hand, a gesture he had never been able to shed ever since we had met when I was 13.

“Goodnight” he said finally. “Try to sleep a little, okay?”

“Alright” I agreed. “Goodnight, Yuya.”

There was only a slight humming sound from him in response before he closed his eyes. I watched his face for a few more moments, before I followed his example.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey, everyone! So here, the next chapter… And I’m asking you once more, even if I sound like a broken record: PLEASE take the time to comment! Last chapter, we fell back to a single comment, and that’s kind of depressing, after I got to hope for more :-( It’s the only reward an author gets, so it is very important. You don’t want me to lose motivation in the middle of writing because I don’t get any responses, do you? ;) So please, take the time. Like I said before, no need to log in, just leave me a response in the little box below and that’s it. It only takes a minute. You can do it, right? :)
> 
> Now, onto the chapter. Yup, we’re finally getting to some romance ;) It was about time, right? Enjoy!

„Hey, everyone!“ Yuya called loudly as we fought our way through the Shinkansen, towards our reserved seats, where Kei, Hikaru and Daiki were already seated. He waved energetically, before managing to hit a luggage rack with his hurt hand, whimpering.

“Idiot” I scolded from where I was walking behind him, throwing him a look just contrary to Hikaru and Kei, who were laughing their asses off. “Are you alright?”

“Stupidity is not something you can heal, Chinen” Kei grinned, and Yuya glared at him, forgetting my worried enquiry. I sighed, following after him.

Yuya had been this awfully chipper all morning, and it freaked me out a little. I knew what he was trying to do, of course – to make me forget my worries for our stay in Kyushu, and make me relax. Only I didn’t feel like relaxing, not when I felt like turning around every five seconds to check my surroundings, and Yuya’s, for that matter.

As soon as we were seated, Yuya engaged into a vivid discussion with Hikaru, and Daiki leaned closer to me, a worried look on his face.

“Everything alright, Chii-Chan?”

“I don’t know anymore” I murmured, sighing. “But there were no further threats since last night, if that is what you’re asking about.”

“Well, that’s at least something” he smiled. “It will be okay, don’t worry. We will think of something. For now, just try to relax.”

“Relax?” I repeated, skeptic. “I don’t even know what that is anymore…”

“I have a few suggestions there” Kei smirked. “One of us could knock you out so you will get some sleep. Or we could drug you.”

“Or he could get laid” Hikaru threw in, and I raised my eyebrows at him in amusement. Suddenly, I had two hands pressing down on my ears, and I heard Kota’s damped voice say: “Don’t corrupt our youngest, you pervert!”

“What?” Hikaru chuckled. “After two nights in one bed with Yuya, I’d want to search myself a girl!”

“Definitely” Kei agreed, smirking at Yuya, who reciprocated in kicking him. “Hey, I have no moral reservations against hitting a hurt person, especially when it’s you!”

“Stop it!” I laughed, shrugging off Kota’s hands. “You’re acting ridiculous!”

“Really? I think they‘re behaving rather normal” Kota smiled, taking his own seat.

“Where did you come from, by the way?” I asked, frowning.

“If you’re too engaged in your nonsense to be aware of the stations” came Keito’s voice from behind, and I froze in surprise, making Daiki chuckle and say: “Relax, Chinen, I’m gonna tell you if a stalker appears behind you!”

“Well, if you all turn up suddenly like that…” I murmured embarrassedly, and Kota leaned over to pad my shoulder comfortingly.

“Stop freaking him out!” Yuya scolded them. “It took me so long to calm him down, so stop destroying my efforts!”

“Well, I’m sorry to break this to you, Yuya, but you did no good job” Kei returned drily.

“But you!” Yuya glared back. “ _’This guy seriously freaks me out. He’s really dangerous.’_ That sure helped a lot!”

Their conversation was interrupted when there was a loud bump from the other side of the wagon, and everyone turned around to see Yuto lying face first on the floor, having stumbled over a trunk that had been placed at the side of the corridor, out of lack for storage room. Ryosuke was standing behind him, shaking his head and sighing.

“Yuto…” he murmured. “Watch out for once, will you?”

Hikaru turned to Kei, smirking, holding out his hand. “I won. Where are my 1000 yen?!”

“Shit” Kei groaned, rummaging through his pockets. “I placed my bet on Yuya.”

The look on Yuya’s face was enough to seriously crack me up for the first time in days.

***

“I need some shadow” Kota groaned hours later, first thing after the photographers had declared the end of our beach shoot. “I forgot to use sun lotion.”

“You know what could cool you down?” Hikaru smirked, waving to the sea only a few feet away. “ _Water_. You know, that wet thing over there. I heard it works miracles.”

“Ever heard that it attracts sun rays, too?” Kota returned, and Hikaru rolled his eyes and kicked sand after him.

“Anyways, who is coming with me?” he asked into the round, grabbing a ball to initiate some match.

“Me” Yuya called. “But keep that ball away from me” he added, holding up his bandaged hand.

“Are you allowed to go into the water with the bandages?” I checked, frowning.

“I have a second one with me, I can change them later when they get wet” Yuya shrugged. “What about you? Coming?”

“I don’t know” I sighed. “I don’t feel like it, somehow…”

“I won’t take a ‘no’ as an answer” Yuya rolled his eyes, reaching out his hand to me. “Come on. Sitting in the shadows with Kota must be boring. And I’ll make sure you won’t drown.”

“Do you always have to bring that up?” I murmured in embarrassment, but let him take my hand anyways, pulling me towards the water. “You know exactly how I was overworked back then.”

“True, but if I hadn’t noticed in time, we would be one member less” Yuya pointed out, and I pursed my lips, not answering. “It’s ridiculous how you always manage to make everyone worry.”

“I think it’s a talent” Ryosuke joked, following after us.

“Well, he _is_ the youngest, after all” Daiki added. “We have a tendency to baby him, don’t we?”

“Though, admittedly, the current situation doesn’t have much to do with babying” Ryosuke said, making a face. He shut up, though, when Hikaru’s ball hit him in the face.

“What are you talking about too serious subjects over there?” he called. “Get your asses over here!”

Ryosuke picked up the ball and smirked in a way that shouted revenge. I inwardly braced myself for a water fight.

***

“Today was fun” Yuya called from the bathroom hours later as we had returned to our room after dinner. I was lying on the bed, my eyes closed, trying not to nap off.

“Uhum” I only murmured, smiling. “Though I’m glad Hikaru and Keito didn’t kill each other, in the end. They are a little too competitive sometimes.”

“I was _so close_ to interfering when Hikaru held Keito under the water” Yuya laughed. “But Ryosuke was faster.”

He returned from the bathroom, his hair still damp, a towel around his bare shoulders.

“Say, can you help me for a moment, fixing the new bandage?” he asked, sitting down on my bed, waving with the bandage and the splint in his unhurt hand. “It’s a little difficult just with the left hand.”

“Sure” I nodded, sitting up, taking the utensils from him. “Do you need me to salve it, too?”

“No, already did that” Yuya returned, reaching out his hurt hand.

Carefully, I pulled the splint over it. Yuya flinched a little, but waved my worry off, saying that it always hurt to put it on because of the splint being so tight. Still, I turned even more careful as I fixed the bandage, taking my time, afraid of any wrong move.

I felt Yuya’s eyes burning into me, and somehow, it made me feel flushed. When I was done with my task, I looked up at him, catching his eyes, his hand still cradled in mine.

Yuya’s eyes were dark, and like they had put a spell on me, I could not quite look away. I felt my breath catch, and I wondered what was happening to me.

“Thank you” Yuya whispered, his voice also strangely rough. I noticed how close he was, but I could not quite bring myself to move away.

“Don’t mention it” I responded, but my voice was breathless and weak. I cleared my throat awkwardly. Yuya blinked. My eyes fell to his forehead. Unconsciously, I reached out with my free hand, which was not still holding his, to sweep his damp hair away a little, throwing a look at the faint, but still visible wound from his fall. Guilt crept through me again, looking at it.

“I’m so sorry” I whispered, barely audible.

“How many times do I have to tell you that it’s not your fault?” Yuya murmured, equally quiet.

Without really noticing what I was doing, I let my hand travel down his temple and his cheek, soft touches fluttering over the skin. When I reached the line of his jaw and his neck, I noticed Yuya gulp, and realized what I was doing.

“Sorry” I murmured, beginning to pull away, but Yuya reached out, as if on an instinct, grabbing my hand in his unhurt one, keeping it in place.

“Don’t” he murmured. “I…” There was a moment of silence, before he continued, a little unsure: “I don’t mind… I…” Yuya blinked again, before letting go of my hand, and adverting his eyes. “Forget it” he whispered, embarrassed, but my brain had already stopped working.

Or that was at least the only way I could explain my actions as I reached out for him, putting my arms around his neck, hugging him close.

I felt Yuya’s breath hitch, but I just tightened my arms around him, pushing my face into his neck, closing my eyes. Taking in his scent, dominated by the fresh flavor of his shampoo. There was another moment of silence, before Yuya responded, and I felt his arms around me, too. The fingers of his unhurt hand traveled to my hair, and I felt his head lean against mine.

We stayed like this for a while, and I reveled in the warmth of Yuya’s body. I would have liked to never move again.

It was Yuya, though, who turned his head to whisper into my ear.

“Yuri?”

I shivered a little, as I felt his breath hit my ears, but loosened my arms around him and pulled away enough to look at him.

“Yes?” I whispered, our eyes locked.

Yuya looked like he was searching for words, but finding none. I saw his lips open once, and closing again, before he licked them in nervousness. I stared, as if hypnotized.

And then, my last bit of active brain seemed to go on standby, because suddenly, I leaned closer, close enough until I could press my lips against his.

And suddenly, I felt on fire. From every point where I was touching him, my skin seemed to inflame, only it felt good. Way too good.

Yuya’s lips were soft, and he was still at first, as I moved against them. But soon, I felt him respond, if only timidly. My arms tightened around his neck, wanting to feel him closer as I kept the kiss going, afraid to stop.

We needed to pull away for air, though, after a while. I kept him close, not allowing the least bit of unnecessary distance between us – actually, we were so close that I could still feel his breath on my lips. I kept my eyes closed, and Yuya leaned his forehead against mine, the fingers of his unhurt hand fisting my T-Shirt.

It was him, who closed the gap between us again for another kiss. He seemed more determined now, and I was glad that he was catching on instead of telling me to stop, as I had feared he would.

I became more daring, deepening the kiss, catching his lower lip in mine and licking over it. Yuya’s hold on me tightened, and he opened his mouth, giving me the allowance I wanted.

I let out a soft moan, as our tongues touched for the first time. He tasted of the cheese cake he had had as a dessert earlier, and something else, something that was even sweeter, and probably purely him. It was addictive.

When we pulled away once more, it was Yuya holding me close, and it made me feel giddy.

“Yuri” he murmured, and his voice was low and breathless, and it went through me like fire. “What are we doing?”

“I don’t know” I whispered back, truthfully. “But god, we should have done it before!”

“It feels good” Yuya nodded, the traces of a smile pulling at the edges of his lips, and I leaned in to engage him into another kiss.

Yuya tried to pull me even closer, and I came willingly, climbing his lap like I had done so many times before, only this time, it felt different. _Very different._

I straddled his hips, and I felt Yuya encircling my waist with both hands, holding onto me. I felt him twitch slightly against me, gasping into our kiss before he withdrew his right hand a little.

“Careful” I whispered against his lips, pulling away to look at him again. Yuya bit his lip, suppressing an embarrassed smile.

“Sorry. I was distracted” He whispered.

I chuckled, my hands running down his bare back, feeling his muscles contract under my touch. The towel around his shoulders had been lost somewhere in between. It lay abandoned on the floor. I felt Yuya shudder under my touch, and I leaned in again for another kiss, my hands traveling further: over his sides, up his back again, over his shoulder blades, to his collarbones… Yuya moaned softly into our kiss, and his hips bucked up a little into mine, making me gasp for air.

“Seriously” Yuya murmured, pulling away again, searching my eyes helplessly. “ _What are we doing?_ ”

I stayed silent for a moment, before I moved one of my hands to his face again, caressing it.

“I want to feel you, Yuya” I said finally. “Do you think this is wrong?”

“I should be” Yuya murmured, gulping, seeming confused. “I know I should be wanting to push you away… That I don’t is what scares me.”

“Maybe that means it isn’t wrong?” I suggested, finding a pulse point on his temple and stroking gently. Yuya closed his eyes. “Because it’s like the first time in days that something feels _right_ to me, you know?”

Yuya eyes flew open again, catching mine. “Or do you want to stop?” I whispered, afraid of the answer.

Yuya was still for a moment, before he shook his head.

“No” he whispered, leaning in again. His kiss made me feel warm, like it washed all of my fears away and left nothing but _this_ , these things that Yuya made me feel.

I pushed Yuya backwards, making him lie down, giving me the opportunity to hover above him and kiss his neck. I found the point where his neck met his shoulder and sucked, licking the skin, making him squirm. My hands started traveling down again, exploring the body underneath me, finding collarbones, nipples, curves and a belly button. When I traced the skin of his lower stomach, still sucking on his neck, noticing he was sensitive there, Yuya let out an involuntary moan.

His left hand clenched in my hair just as my fingers found the waistband of his boxers. I looked up at him hesitantly. He was flushed and breathless, his hair sprawled all over the pillow. He looked gorgeous.

“Is it okay?” I asked shyly. “If I…?” Instead of ending the sentence, I just slipped a finger under the fabric, stroking his hip bone. Yuya whimpered in response.

“If you stop now, I might need to kick you” he murmured, making me smile. I leaned down to kiss him again, letting my hand slide further into his boxer shorts, until my fingers found his erection.

It was hot and pulsing in my hand, and Yuya was panting, bucking into my touch, and it made me feel awesome, to know that I was the one giving him pleasure. I had never given my sexuality much thought, but seeing Yuya like this, touching him like this, was more intimate than every other experience I had had.

I stroked him gently, and Yuya was moving with me. Soon, he broke our kiss for air, and I just watched his face, wanting to engrave this moment into my memory.

I could feel that he would come just a moment before he did, but the way he kind of sucked in a breath and whispered my name at the same time was something I would never forget, this much I was sure about.

Afterwards, I continued to watch him as he caught his breathing, stroking the hair out of his face until he caught my eyes again.

“Hey” I smiled, a little teasingly, and Yuya chuckled, pulling me down into another kiss. He rolled us around, making me gasp as my back hit the matrices, and Yuya looked down at me.

“If the others knew you were that dominating” Yuya chuckled, tilting his head. “Well, your innocent reputation would be gone, that much is for sure.”

“I guess we should keep that little secret between us” I returned, smirking.

“You are just scared of Hikaru’s comments” he joked.

“Wait till Kei hears you _let_ yourself be dominated by me” I countered.

Yuya made a face, before nodding. “We should really keep it between us.”

I laughed, and Yuya leaned down to kiss me again, lurking me back into our former mood. I gasped when Yuya’s unbandaged hand crept into my shirt, caressing my skin. His touch seemed to tingle, and I sucked in a breath.

Though Yuya had only one hand to touch me with, he seemed to be everywhere at once – caressing my sides, pinching my nipples, circling my belly button. My breathing sped up with every touch of his, and I felt hot, way too hot.

I almost breathed out a sigh of relief when Yuya’s hand slid into my boxers, too. I had never longed that much for release.

It didn’t take long – it seemed like Yuya knew exactly how to touch me. I clung to him, kissing him desperately, until I moaned into the kiss and broke it for air. Yuya nuzzled his nose against my cheek, lying there with me, waiting until I had calmed down.

I felt safe and relaxed, being in Yuya’s arms like this. Like this was exactly where I belonged.

After a while, Yuya murmured: “Don’t nap off on me, okay?”

“Why not?” I murmured sleepily, and he chuckled.

“Well, we _should_ change our boxers, or do you really want to sleep like that?”

That made me crack open an eye, and Yuya laughed, poking me into the side, making me get up. We only quickly changed our underwear before we fell back into bed – the same, of course. We would probably have to mess up Yuya’s bed a little before we checked out tomorrow, or the maids would gossip terribly.

I snuggled into Yuya, and he pulled me against him, so that my head lay on his shoulder.

“We should have slept like that from the beginning” I pointed out, yawning. “It’s nice and relaxing.”

“Yeah” Yuya nodded, grinning. “Or Hikaru was right and you really needed to get laid.”

I elbowed him, and he shut up. Content, I put my hand onto his chest, feeling the heart beat under my palm, thinking I never wanted to move again, if possible.

***

“Kota, if I hear you one more time moaning about your sun burn, I swear I’m going to kick you out of the train at the next station, no matter if it’s Kumamoto or something even farther away from Tokyo!”

I laughed about Hikaru’s outburst in the four-seater next to us, looking up when I felt Yuya’s eyes on me.

“What?” I asked at his smile.

“Nothing” Yuya shook his head. “It’s just nice to see you laugh again.”

I bit my lip in embarrassment, looking away, not wanting the others to start interpreting our looks at each other. Instead, I inconspicuously sneaked a hand between our bodies, intertwining my fingers with his, knowing that it would stay hidden from the others due to the jacket I had draped over me, planning to sleep some more during the train ride.

Yuya squeezed my hand in response, not looking at me, but his smile was something he could not easily wipe from his face. As I took in his smiling face, I thought that, as long as I had Yuya with me, I would overcome every difficult situation.

Suddenly, Yuya turned around with a frown, looking after a passenger who had just passed us through the corridor.

“Something wrong, Yuya?” I asked quietly, raising my eyebrows at him.

Yuya was still frowning, before shaking his head, smiling at me.

“It’s nothing” he said simply, closing the subject.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/09/09/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-4/


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone :D Not gonna talk much, here the update – hope you’ll like it :D

I was leaning my head against Yuya’s shoulder, not quite napped off yet, but quite unaware of the stations or our surroundings, when Yuya shook me, making me open my eyes to look up at Ryosuke and Keito, who had apparently made their way over to us through the train.

“Hey” Ryosuke murmured, his voice low, afraid of being overheard. “We wanted to talk about what we’re going to do now. About, you know, the _situation_.”

“Oh” I murmured, sitting up, looking at them uneasily. I had kind of tried to avoid thinking about the subject ever since Yuya and I had kissed last night, feeling too comfortable to engage into dark thoughts. But now, I was afraid I could not skip it any longer. “Yeah, right.”

“Keito and I had the idea that we could drive to your house first thing after we arrived in Tokyo.” Ryosuke explained. “You could get some things, and we could check if he left some more messages or something.”

“Right” Keito nodded. “And I wanted to ask something. Yuya, do you remember anything about the stalker? I mean, you were the only one who saw him from close up. Can’t you give us any details?”

Yuya made a face, before he responded: “If I could, I’d have told you right away. But everything is a blur… I only get very confusing flashbacks from those moments. I just know that the guy was dressed in black, and taller than me, but how tall, I cannot really tell… And that’s about it.”

“Well, you had a concussion” I said soothingly. “I guess we can be glad you can remember anything at all.”

“It would be better, though, if we had something to recognize him by” Ryosuke sighed.

Keito seemed thoughtful, though, not quite ready to give up yet.

“Say, Chinen, do you have a camera at home?” he prodded.

I frowned, thinking.

“I guess there should be one” I murmured. “I mean, my parents took the new one with them to Hawaii, but we do have an old one somewhere, I bet… Why?”

“We could built it up somewhere and film” Keito suggested. “I don’t know, the entrance door, or the window where you first saw him or something. Maybe we can get his face.”

“That’s good” Yuya nodded enthusiastically. “That would help. We could even go to the police with that.”

“But I’m not sure our old camera can film more than an hour” I said, skeptical, before an idea came to me. “Wait, my Dad has a web cam!”

Keito smiled, pleased.

“That’s perfect. We can hide this thing anywhere, he will not even be aware of it!”

“Okay, then let’s do it like that!” Ryosuke nodded, clearly relieved that we were actually doing something, at last. “I spoke with the others, and we have 3 cars – mine, Yuya’s and Hikaru’s. Because we boarded the train at different stations each, we will all get out separately, get our cars and meet at your house.”

“Can I drive with you?” Keito asked, looking at Yuya. “Hikaru’s car is full.” Ryosuke’s eyes narrowed down to a glare.

“Why does nobody want to drive with me?!” he snapped at Keito.

“We have our reasons” Keito smirked.

“Just because I failed the exam 2 times, I’m no bad driver!” Ryosuke insisted, clearly pissed. “I was just busy and couldn’t concentrate. Yuto is driving with me, too, and he never complained!”

“Yeah, because he’s too scared to anger you” Keito shrugged. “Anyways, Yuya?”

“Yeah, no problem” Yuya answered, obviously amused.

Ryosuke rolled his eyes before returning to his seat next to Yuto, immediately engaging him into an angry discussion.

***

“So, it seems like there were no new threads” Kota informed us as Yuya, Keito and I arrived at my house, meeting the Hikaru group, which had already entered with the extra key Kei had kept with him ever since he and Daiki had gotten it from the next-door neighbors to get my clothes a few days ago.

“No new traces of someone breaking in or something, either” Daiki explained. “Maybe we are lucky and he gave up?”

I did not answer, distracted by the dark stain on the wooden floor right in front of the stairs, which I knew was caused by Yuya’s blood.

“We cannot let our guard down” Keito warned, turning to me, shaking me when I did not look up immediately. “Chinen, the web cam”

“Sure” I nodded, making my way up the stairs towards my father’s study. I could still hear the others talk downstairs.

“I’m still voting for a spring gun” Hikaru said.

“I like that idea very much, too” Keito replied, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “But we _should_ try the legal way first, I guess.”

“Plus, it could become dangerous” Kei pointed out. “Yuya could run into it by accident and get himself shot, and Chinen would kill Hikaru for causing it.”

I smiled as I heard Yuya hitting him, and Kei complaining. I had to admit that he had a point, though.

Finally, I found the web cam, and brought it down together with my dad’s laptop.

“Here” I said when I came down the stairs again, placing the laptop onto the couch table, starting it. “Where do we want to set it up?”

“Where did you first see the stalker?” Keito asked.

I pointed to the window, towards the shadows of our cherry tree. Hikaru immediately went over to the window, taking a look.

“Alright” Keito nodded, sitting down on the couch to be able to work on the laptop. “Password?”

“Saya1992Yuri” I murmured, taking the camera into my hand, trying to find a good place to put it.

“Are you supposed to know that?” Kei asked, amused.

“No” I shrugged. “But I had it already figured out when I was 12 and they refused to buy me my own laptop.”

“As expected from Chinen” Daiki laughed, sitting down next to Keito, watching him.

“Say, Chinen” Hikaru said quietly. “Is there a way to get out to the garden? I’d like to have a look around.”

“Sure, there is a back door behind the stairs” I said, carefully placing the camera in between my mother’s fake flowers. “But be careful. He could be hiding somewhere, for all we know.”

“I hope he is” Hikaru said darkly, leaving the room. “I’d love to meet him.”

I heard him open and close the back door only a second before the front door opened, and Ryosuke and Yuto entered.

“Hey” Ryosuke waved into the round before removing his jacket.

“You are late. We were already worried that you caused an accident.” Kei said, smirking. Ryosuke threw his jacket at him.

“Anyways” he said, as if he had not heard Kei’s comment. “Anything new?”

“Nothing” Daiki shook his head. “We’re just installing the camera.”

Ryosuke nodded, opening his mouth to say something, when Yuto hissed: “There is someone in the garden!”

Ryosuke and Yuya whirled around to look, while Keito murmured in a bored voice: “That’s just Hikaru.”

“Oh” Yuya sighed, embarrassed. “Right.”

I had to turn around to hide my grin.

“Okay, I think I got it” Keito announced. “Chinen, can you move the camera a little to the right?”

“Sure” I nodded, doing as he said. “Like that?”

“Yes, perfect.”

“The quality is good, too” Daiki commented. “If we can see Hikaru, we’ll be able to see the stalker, too.”

Kei stood up to open the window, shouting: “Hikaru, do something, you’re on film!”

Hikaru threw an acorn at him. Kei ducked, and it flew through the window and hit the opposite wall. Ryosuke sighed, shaking his head at them.

“Anyways” he said. “Hide the laptop somewhere and then let’s drive home, before he finds us here.”

“Right” Keito agreed, placing the laptop carefully behind the couch, hiding the cables out of sight. “Hikaru?” he called. “Can you still see the laptop?”

Hikaru reappeared from behind the tree, searching the window carefully.

“No!” he announced finally.

“Good” Keito smiled, seeming pleased with his work. “Then let’s go!”

As we all packed our things and got ready to go, Daiki and Kei discussed how to bring Hikaru to stop by some restaurant on the way home for Ramen, and Kota moaned that he just wanted to get home (he had probably used up his anti-sunburn cream or something), when Hikaru turned up again from the garden, grabbing Yuya’s arm, making him jump and earning a laugh from Kei.

“Calm down, chicken” Hikaru rolled his eyes. “I just wanted to say, I’ll be driving over to your place on the way – you still have that freaking video game I lent you months ago, and I finally want it back.”

“You’re thinking of that _now_ , of all times?!” Yuya frowned, apparently impressed. “I had completely forgotten about it.”

“I thought so” Hikaru smirked. “That’s why I’m saying it now, before it disappears for good in the chaos of your flat.”

“It’s no chaos” Yuya groaned. “I’m just not as much of a clean freak as you.”

“Anyways” Hikaru smiled, ignoring his input. “We’ll meet you at your place.”

“And buy Ramen on the way!” Kei demanded as he got into Hikaru’s car.

Yuya rolled his eyes at me before unlocking his own door.

***

We did not stop by a Ramen store on the way, but even so, Hikaru’s car had arrived at the apartment complex before us. Hikaru had always been a “fast driver”, if you were a neutral observer, and “a careless moron”, if you were Yuya. I wondered why Kei was not opposed to drive with him when he was with Ryosuke. Instead, they seemed smuck about their faster arrival.

“Finally” Kei complained as we got out. “We were waiting for ages!”

Yuya ignored their comments, instead going straight for the entrance door, everyone following after him. Apparently, he was keen on getting rid of them quickly, especially when Daiki started to explain how hungry he was repeatedly.

“Yeah, Daiki, we got it!” Kota groaned, apparently annoyed. “Now will you shut up finally?!”

“Says the right one, Mr. I’m-Dying-From-My-Sunburn” Hikaru commented.

There was some more bickering on the way up the stairs, and I was laughing about something Kei threw at Kota, when Yuya suddenly stopped, making me bump into him.

“Yuya?!” I groaned, stepping back a little. “What-?!”

I looked around him, and saw immediately what had stopped him – there was an envelope hefted to the front door of his appartment, tape fixing it on the edges, big letters scribbled onto the front.

_“Found you.”_

“No!” I whispered feebly, letting the meaning of it sink in. He had found me. At _Yuya’s_ apartment, when the last thing I wanted was to bring Yuya in danger again. My hand flew to Yuya’s arm for support. I leaned my head against his shoulder in desperation, just wishing for it to disappear. “No, no, no…”

Everyone had fallen silent behind us, just staring at the message as if hypnotized. Then Yuya stepped up to the door almost aggressively, tearing the envelope from the door, opening it. Hikaru pushed past me, catching up with him as Yuya let the contents of the envelope fall into his hands. It was a bunch of photos.

“Those were taken in Kyushu” Yuya announced, his voice slightly shaky. “This guy followed us all the way to Kyushu!”

There was some murmuring from Kota and Kei behind me, but I hardly heard them. Instead I closed the distance to Yuya, snatching the photos from him, taking a look myself.

Yuya and me moving into our room… Me, at the beach… Me, drinking something during a break… Yuya, pulling me towards the water… Me, in the water, throwing the ball at someone… Yuya and me at the buffet during dinner…

“I’m going home” I murmured at last, panic flooding through me again.

“Not that one again” Kei complained.

“Yuri, we’ve been there” Yuya reminded me. “I’m not letting you go home.”

“Just look at those photos for a moment, Yuya!” I snapped, pushing them back at him. “If they’re not of me only, it’s always you with me! Don’t you think that means something?!”

“It’s probably a coincidence” Yuya shrugged. “I’ve always been with you, after all! He might have had difficulties to take some of you alone!”

“You don’t get it, do you?!” I murmured, raising my voice more and more with each word. “The closer you stay to me, the more I put you in danger!”

“Yuri!“ Yuya murmured, his hand grabbing my arm, but before he could say any more, Kota had already interrupted him.

“I think Chinen is right” he said, making both of us look up. “He can’t stay with you anymore when he obviously knows this place. It’s too dangerous.”

“But he can’t go home, either” Daiki pointed out, looking at him with a frown.

“We could take him to one of our places” Kota murmured, though he seemed not so sure about the idea himself.

“No” I said decidedly. “I’ll bring you in danger, too, if he finds me there. You’re living alone, and-“

“All of us are living alone, in case you’ve forgotten!” Kei pointed out.

“Fact is, I’m not coming with you” I said stubbornly. “No way.”

There was a short silence, before Kota suggested: “Let’s call Ryosuke or someone. I mean, he’s still living at his parent’s house. That would be safer, wouldn’t it? He will hardly want to attack that many people. ”

I hesitated, knowing he had a point… But still… “What about Yuya?” I said quietly. “He is in danger, too.”

“I can take care of myself, don’t worry” Yuya said soothingly.

I glared at him, about to respond something about why nobody was listening to me, that Yuya was as much in danger as me by now, when Daiki came up to me, putting a hand on my shoulder, speaking to me gently.

“I know you’re worried about Yuya” he said. “But I really think that he’s after you, Chinen, and no one else. He just wants you to do something stupid out of worry for Yuya. He’s using your fear to get to you.”

“Right” Yuya nodded, squeezing my arm in comfort. “I promise to be careful, if that calms you down. I’ll lock the door and won’t let anyone in, okay?”

“And I will drive by Yuya’s apartment tomorrow before work and take him with me” Hikaru offered. “Nothing can happen, really.”

“Right” Yuya nodded. “Remember, I live on the third floor. He can’t simply climb through a window to get in, like he did at your place. It will be fine.”

I caught Yuya’s eyes, and he kept my gaze, falling silent. I felt uneasy – I did not want to leave Yuya alone like this. It felt like I was putting him out to the wolves. On the other hand, I knew that the longer I stayed with him, the more obvious it became for everyone watching just _how_ important Yuya was to me, meaning he would get more and more into focus.

“Don’t worry so much about me” Yuya said finally, his voice quiet, almost feeling like a caress. “Worry more about yourself, okay?”

I sighed, finally giving in.

“Alright” I nodded. “But promise me to watch out, okay? And call, when something is off. I’ll keep my cell phone turned on.”

“Yes” Yuya nodded, smiling slightly. I could not return the smile. “Now let’s call Ryosuke, okay?”

He squeezed my arm one more time before letting go. Daiki patted my shoulder encouragingly and got out his cell phone.

“While you’re calling” Hikaru murmured, catching eyes with Yuya. “Yuya, you have a web cam, too, right?”

Yuya smiled, nodding.

“And there is a nice flower pot over there” he pointed out. Hikaru looked pleased.

“Then let’s start setting it up” Hikaru announced.

Enthusiastically, they entered Yuya’s apartment, searching for the necessary items. I only sighed, staying outside with Daiki, listening to him talking to Ryosuke.

***

Of course, Ryosuke immediately agreed to let me stay the night. He sold his parents some lie about some script that needed to be studied, and came to get me from Yuya’s flat the moment he had hung up. Everyone was still building up the web cam in Yuya’s corridor when he arrived. I needed to suppress the strong need to hug Yuya close when we said goodbye, and the look in his eyes showed that he could tell how I was feeling. Really, I loved my band mates, but sometimes, I just wished them gone, if only for a few moments.

“Can you stop looking at your cell phone?” Ryosuke sighed hours later as we lay in bed (well, in my case, in the futon down on the floor), almost all lights turned out but the little lamp on Ryosuke’s night stand. “If you’re that worried, call him!”

“No” I sighed, putting the phone back under my pillow. “He would have called, if something was wrong. Right?”

“Yes” Ryosuke nodded, his voice soothing. There was a moment of silence, before he said, very quietly: “Yuya is really important to you, right?”

I gulped, not looking at him as I gave him my airy reply: “All of you are important to me.”

“But Yuya is special” Ryosuke pointed out. “I can see that.”

I licked my lips in nervousness, before I whispered: “Is that wrong?”

“No” he shook his head, frowning. “You two have always been very close, after all. I guess it’s natural.”

I just nodded, afraid to give myself away with any more answers. Ryosuke let the subject drop, thankfully, and we bid our good nights.

***

Because of my obvious nervousness, Ryosuke and I drove off to work especially early the next day. I did not quite know why myself, what I expected to happen if we were to be late… I just knew that I felt extremely uneasy, and that Ryosuke could sense it and tried to humor me.

We were the first to arrive at our dressing room, but instead of giving a biting comment to that, like Kei or Hikaru would have done, he just silently unpacked his things, acting calm and not the least bit bothered. I was reminded once more of why Ryosuke was such a close friend of mine.

He did not come that far, though, because as soon as I had reached my table, I had spotted another note on the surface. Somehow, I had felt that it would be there.

I took it without a word, unfolding it with shaky fingers. Ryosuke looked up at me, freezing.

“What’s that?” he asked.

I did not answer, feeling like I could not breathe as I read the few scribbled words.

_“You will never see him again.”_

I needed to hold onto the table, to stay upright. I felt like someone had knocked something straight into my stomach.

“Chinen!” Ryosuke called, running over to me, steadying me at the shoulder.  “What’s wrong?!”

When I did not answer, he snatched the note away from me. I looked up at him as he skimmed over the note, freezing himself.

“He’s got Yuya” I whispered.

Ryosuke caught my eyes, and gulped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duuuh-DUUUH! XD ~~Yes, that was the pathetic try on a dramatic noise in written form~~ I know, me and my cliffhangers are too evil. I’m sorry, but I’m having too much fun with them ;)
> 
> Tell me what you think!
> 
> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/09/19/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-5/


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So, the second last chapter. This time, it’s getting serious. I already apologize for the cliffhanger XD Hope you like it!

Finally, my knees gave away, and I sank to the floor, my head in my hands. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t. Not Yuya. Not _him_.

“Chinen!” Ryosuke called, kneeling down next to me, shaking me. “Stay calm , okay?! It could be just another empty threat! I bet Yuya is fine!”

“You still don’t get it?!” I shouted, looking up at him in anger. “I told you all the time that he was after him, but no one freaking listened to me!”

“You’re being hysteric again” Ryosuke pointed out.

“Of course I am!” I yelled. “For your information, this is a reason to be hysteric! HE’S GOT YUYA!”

“Call Yuya” Ryosuke said simply. “We can still freak out afterwards. Just try to call him first.”

Shakily, I reached for my phone in my jeans pocket. When I finally was able to pull it out, it slipped through my fingers, landing on the floor.

Ryosuke picked it up quickly, beginning to dial himself. No matter what kind of mask he was putting on in front of me, I could tell that he was nervous, too.

He pressed call and held the phone to his ear. He made a face when it went to voice mail immediately.

“Shit” he muttered, hanging up again.

“What’s wrong?” came a voice from the other side of the room. We looked up to see Keito and Daiki standing in the doorway, looking alarmed.

“Another thread” Ryosuke murmured, slightly breathless. I could not find the strength to speak up. I felt numb.

Keito crossed the distance to us, taking the note from Ryosuke, reading it. Daiki was close after him.

There was a moment of stunned silence. It was as if no one dared to speak up. Then, Keito said, slightly shaky: “… You think-?!”

“We cannot reach Yuya” was all Ryosuke answered to the unspoken question. The paper in Keito’s grip crumbled a little.

“Call Hikaru” Daiki said quickly, looking at me. “He wanted to get Yuya for work, remember?”

I blinked, realizing that he was right. I had totally forgotten about that. The shock had made me unable to think.

Quickly, I snatched my phone back from Ryosuke, searching for Hikaru’s number. My fingers were so shaky that it was a miracle that I found it at all. I prayed silently to myself as I pressed call and held it to my ear. Waiting.

One ring. Two. Three.

Mailbox.

“Damn” I moaned, hanging up again. “What the heck is he doing?! There you need him once-?!”

“Shit” Keito groaned, running his hand through his hair in frustration. Obviously, he was beginning to panic, too. “What are we going to do now?!”

“We need to keep a clear head” Ryosuke advised. “We still don’t know for sure!”

“HOW MANY PROOFS DO YOU NEED?!” I snapped, and Ryosuke flinched.

“What’s wrong?” Kota asked, appearing in the door, eyes huge.

“Apparently, the guy’s got Yuya” Daiki murmured, looking pale.

“WHAT?!” Kota shrieked his voice unnaturally high. “You’re kidding me, right?!”

It was then, that the phone in my hand rang. I looked at the caller ID: Hikaru.

“Finally” I breathed, taking the call. “Why did you not answer?!”

“Chinen” Hikaru murmured, and his voice was weird. Somehow shaky and weak. Unlike him. “We have a problem.”

“Where is Yuya?!” I demanded.

“I was waiting in the car” Hikaru said quietly, his voice with an ache of desperation. “He said he would come down at 7:40 h, and when he was still not there at 7:50 h, I went up to knock, but he did not answer. So I went down to his neighbor to get the extra key, and when I entered the apartment, he was not there. So I took a look at the records from the camera we set up yesterday, and…”

“And?!” I prodded quietly, when he did not continue immediately, though I kind of knew what would come.

“Yuya left his flat at 9:37 h” Hikaru continued. “He was just locking the door when a black clothed guy grabbed him from behind, holding something like a tissue in front of his mouth. Maybe it was soaked with chloroform or something. He lost his consciousness, and the guy dragged him away.”

I stopped breathing. This couldn’t be happening.

“They probably escaped through the backdoor, that’s why I did not see them” Hikaru concluded. “I’m so sorry, Chinen! If I had known, I’d gone up and…”

I was unable to answer. It was like I was frozen. _He had Yuya._

_“You will never see him again.”_

The phone slipped my fingers again, landing on the floor. Ryosuke reached for it, quickly holding it to his own ear.

“Hikaru?! Are you still there?!” he called. He put him on speaker, and Hikaru had to tell the story again, but I could not listen.

I buried my face in my hands again, trying to breathe, but somehow, I could not quite manage it. Daiki noticed, and sat down next to me, stroking over my back.

“Come on, Chinen, breathe“ he whispered, obviously freaked out by my reaction. “In and out, okay? I don’t want to have to call an ambulance!”

I heard Ryosuke say something to Hikaru, but I could not quite get it. Then, he hung up, and got up to pace the room. He kicked a chair in frustration. It smashed against the wall next to the door just as Kei and Yuto entered.

“Hey!” Kei complained. “No murder attacks so early in the morning, please!” Then, he looked into the round, seeming to realize the atmosphere. “What happened?!” he asked.

“Yuya got kidnapped” Keito answered shakily. Kei gaped at him.

“You’re joking” he murmured.

“No” Kota responded breathlessly. “I wish we were.”

“How did that happen?!” Kei yelled. “I thought Hikaru wanted to drive to work with him!”

“He got to him before they met” Ryosuke explained, kicking the chair again. “DAMN! What are we going to do?!”

“We have to call the police” Yuto murmured. “This is getting out of hand!”

“Are you crazy?!” I shrieked, with the little of air I had managed to obtain with Daiki’s help. “He will finish Yuya off if we do that!”

“He’s right” Keito nodded. “We need to do this by ourselves.”

“But we don’t even know where they are!” Kota pointed out. “He could have taken him anywhere, for all we know! He could even already have killed him!”

“Kota!” Ryosuke snapped, turning to glare at him.

“What, it’s true!” Kota pointed out. “Did you read that thread?! What if he’s serious?!”

“One more word, and I’m going to hit you!” Kei warned. “Yuya is not dead! Stop that shit!”

“But-“

“KOTA!” Daiki said meaningfully, pointing to me. I did not even want to know what I must have looked like, because Kota shut up immediately.

It was then, that my phone rang again. Keito reached out for it, being nearest, staring at the display incredulous.

“It’s Yuya” he said.

Everyone fell silent. A sudden, irrational wave of adrenaline rushed through me, and I jumped up, tearing the phone out of Keito’s hand, taking the call.

“Yuya?!” I called hopefully. “Yuya, answer!”

It was not Yuya that answered, though, but a dark, unknown voice.

“Now, how does that feel, Chinen-Kun?”

“What did you do to Yuya?!” I demanded, and I could feel the tears coming. They tightened down my throat, making every word I said hurt.

“Come to the set hall where you shot the ‘Super Delicate’ PV, and you’ll find out!”

“Don’t touch him” I whimpered. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

“Come alone, or you will regret it.”

The line went dead. I let out a sob.

“What did he say?!” Keito demanded, grabbing me at my shoulders, shaking me.

“I’m supposed to come to the set of the ‘Super Delicate’ PV. Alone” I repeated, my voice cracking. I felt Daiki’s arm around my shoulder, holding me upright.

“That means that’s where they are?!” Keito asked, stunned.

“It’s probably empty when no one’s shooting” Kota pointed out. “No one will notice them.”

“That’s good” Ryosuke said feebly, and everybody turned to look at him. “That means we know the territory! We can trick him!”

“What do you mean?” Kei asked.

“We can enter through side doors and corridors” Ryosuke explained. “We can follow Chinen without the kidnapper noticing us! And then we attack in the right moment! If he acts alone, as he seems to be, he won’t stand a chance!”

“But that’s dangerous” Yuto murmured. “What if he sees us?!”

“You want to let Chinen go alone?!” Ryosuke challenged. “He will kill both him and Yuya if we do that!”

“He is right” Keito nodded. “We have no choice but trying!”

“Then let’s not lose any more time!” Kei demanded. The others nodded in agreement and grabbed their things. Daiki pushed me towards the door, making me walk, which I had not thought possible with how weak my knees were.

But I needed to be strong now. This was about Yuya. I needed to do everything I could to save him.

We met Hikaru in the corridor, and the others gave him a short intro to the situation and dragged him along to the cars. Just that he wasn’t the only one we met on our way.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Our manager called as he spotted us running into the direction of the parking lot. “You have dance rehearsals, in case you’ve forgotten! Your choreographer is waiting!”

“Sorry” Ryosuke called hastily. “But there’s really no time for that now! We’ll explain later!”

“Later?!” he repeated, dumfounded. “HEY! WAIT!” he shouted as we tore open the door and disappeared through it one after another. “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! HEY!”

***

We parked with a little distance to the empty fabric hall, afraid that the kidnapper would see us arrive together. Then, everyone gathered around me. I felt like I needed to throw up.

“You go ahead” Ryosuke said quietly, looking into my eyes. “Don’t worry, we’re close behind you. We just have to be careful.”

“Before you go, call me from your cell” Keito demanded. “Quick.”

“What?” I asked in confusion, getting out the phone.

“If you call me, and leave it in your pocket, I can maybe get parts of your conversation” Keito explained. “I saw that in movies. Maybe it works!”

“Good thinking” Hikaru nodded. “Hurry!”

I did as told, and put the phone back into my pocket carefully.

“Okay” Ryosuke nodded. “Now go!”

“And be careful not to get yourself killed, okay?” Daiki pleaded.

“I’m worrying more about Yuya than me” I replied, slightly breathless.

“I know” Daiki nodded. “That’s why I’m saying it.”

I did not know what to respond to that. Instead, I just looked into the round once more, before setting off.

I felt unsteady on my feet as I made my way through the well-known grounds. I was dizzy and sick, but I knew I had to get a grip of myself. There was no time to show weakness now. Yuya’s life was at stake.

The halls looked different from the times when we were shooting in here, but I could still find my way around. It was when I entered the main hall that I spotted them.

Two figures on the far end of the hall, one kneeling, one standing over him. That sight gave me a small relief – it meant that Yuya was still alive.

As I got nearer, I saw that Yuya’s hands were tied in front of his body, and his mouth was taped. The kidnapper, black clothed as always, was holding a gun to his head.

I could not stop myself from calling Yuya’s name. He could not respond, due to the tape, but he caught my eyes. I could not read the look in them.

“Welcome, Chinen Yuri” the kidnapper said quietly, a smile on his face. I was surprised at how young he was – surely only a few years older than us. He looked at me with dark eyes that seemed colder than ice, totally different from those of the guy down to his feet, though they had about the same color. “I’m glad you could make it. It would have been sad if you had missed the show.”

“Please” I said breathlessly. “Let Yuya go. It’s me you want, right?”

The guy chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“You still haven’t figured out why I’m doing this, right?” he asked. “You are slow for having graduated with the best marks in your year.”

I kept quiet, afraid to say anything wrong if I spoke up. I wondered if the others had already followed.

“Does the name Suzuki Shiro tell you something?” he continued.

I frowned, searching my memory, but I did not find anything.

“No” I said honestly.

A flash of anger ran over his face, and he pressed the gun further against Yuya’s temple. My heartbeat sped up.

“So she was not even worth remembering” he hissed, his voice poisonous. “The girl you killed.”

I blinked, staring at him, not understanding a word.

“What?” I asked quietly.

“She was my sister” he explained, his eyes staring into space, like he was suddenly far away from here. “She was the most important thing in my life. Our father was an alcoholic, and he was violent against our mother – our life at home was hell. I always told her that, as soon as I turned 18, I would move out, and take her with me. That was my motivation to keep going.”

“She had her own way, of dealing with the pain, though” he continued as his eyes focused on my face again. “And that was her fandom. She simply _loved_ Hey! Say! JUMP, and especially you. Her whole room was full with pictures of you, and she spent all her days in front of your house, with other fans.”

So she was one of the stalker girls a few years ago, I thought to myself.

“But you” he spat, glaring at me. “You never saw her. You chased her away with the police a thousand times. And then, that one day, you brought a girl home with you, and everyone was saying she was your girlfriend.”

I remembered that time – the girl that had visited me had actually been a class mate of mine. We had been assigned for a presentation together, and all we had wanted was to work on it. The girls had interpreted it differently, though. I had been quite glad about it, actually – I had hoped it would chase them away.

“Shiro came home crying, and she closed herself in inside her room” he whispered. “The next day we found her, her wrists cut open.”

I gulped, images crashing down on me.

“You killed her” he spat, his voice as sharp as broken glass. “You took away the person that was closest to me. And now-“  He released the gun‘s safety. “I’m going to take away yours.”

“No” I breathed out helplessly. “No! Please-“

“It’s gonna hurt, right?” he prodded, smiling. “Your best friend. Your _lover_. Almost unbearable, the thought of him being killed, right?”

Yuya’s and my eyes met for a moment, before I sank to the floor.

“Please” I whispered, sinking my head, begging. “Please, don’t harm him. I’ll do everything… Just _please_.”

I heard him laugh, and looked up again.

“Be sure to watch” he said quietly. “I want you to see the light leaving his eyes, so you will always remember that moment.”

He flexed his finger on the trigger.

“No!” I yelled, and I could hear the blood rushing in my veins. “NO!”

Just in that moment, something was knocked over in the corridor. All of us froze. The kidnappers eyes wandered to me again, and he yelled: “You called the police!”

“I didn’t!” I promised, but suddenly, he pulled the gun away from Yuya, and directed it to me.

“You little-“ he groaned, but he didn’t come farther than that, because Yuya used this moment of distraction to jump up and attack. He reached for the gun with his tied hands, and then, there was a fight, and I could not quite see what was happening anymore.

“Yuya!” I yelled and jumped up, wanting to help, just when I heard someone shoot. I stared, stunned. “… Yuya?” I whispered.

Yuya’s back was directed to me, his face hidden. All I could see were the wide eyes of the kidnapper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/10/04/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-6/


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Banner by Stormy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the last chapter. Kind of a nostalgic moment :-/ Anyways, sorry for the long wait after this evil cliffhanger. Better not talk much – here we go!

The next moments seemed to take an eternity. I did not know who that shot had hit, and somehow, I could not make myself move to find out either. It felt like my feet were glued to the point where I was standing. I just stared at the scene in front of me, waiting for anything to happen, praying for the kidnapper to finally show any signs of pain.

It was Yuya, though, that sank to the floor. I stopped breathing, my eyes fixed on Yuya’s figure as he lay there, unmoving. I saw blood stain the floor under him. I could not move. I could not do anything but stare.

The kidnapper seemed stunned, as well. He was still staring at Yuya’s motionless form on the floor, as if he could not quite figure out how that had happened, taking a step back from him.

It was that moment, that the others appeared. Hikaru came running through a side door, tackling the kidnapper. The gun hit the floor a few feet away from me. Keito followed him, helping Hikaru hold the guy down. Kota and Kei ran to Yuya, kneeling down on the floor beside him.

“Yuya?!” Kota called, shaking him. “Yuya?! Can you hear me?”

“We have to press something to his wound” Kei called. “He’s losing a lot of blood. Someone, call an ambulance!”

“Gotcha!” Daiki nodded, looking up from his current task, which was tying the kidnappers arm behind his back while Keito and Hikaru kept him put. He quickly got out his phone to dial.

My eyes fixed the gun on the floor.

“I killed Yuya” Yuto’s voice suddenly stammered. He was standing in the doorway, staring at Yuya’s body on the ground. “If I had not bumped into that box, he-“

“Yuto, calm down, will you!” Ryosuke yelled, grabbing his arm, shaking him. “We don’t have time to put the blame on anyone! Yuya has been shot, damnit!”

Daiki began speaking into the phone quickly, apparently having reached the ambulance. Kota was untying Yuya hands and removing the tape from his mouth, still calling his name.

Pictures flashed in front of my eyes – Yuya smiling at me, running his hand over my head, messing up my hair; Yuya hugging me close, trying to calm me down through my tears; Yuya kissing me; his hair splayed out against the pillow, his eyes closed, his lips parted in a silent moan…

“Chinen!” I heard Ryosuke call, stunned. “What are you doing?!”

Everyone froze, and turned to look at me. I stood a few feet away from where Keito and Hikaru were holding onto the kidnapper, the gun from the floor picked up and directed to him.

I had not even consciously noticed myself moving. All I knew was that, besides the pain, an overwhelming wave of anger and hate was running through me.

He had shot Yuya. I wanted him _dead_.

“Chinen” Daiki murmured, phone still in his hand. “Don’t do anything stupid!”

“Shut up!” I yelled, my eyes fixed on the face of the kidnapper. Instead of looking scared, though, like Hikaru and Keito, who were holding onto him, he smiled.

“See how it hurts?” he prodded, obviously satisfied. It made everything inside of me clench, and my grip on the gun tightened. “ _Now_ we’re on the same level!”

“I told you not to hurt him” I said, and my voice was shaking as much as never before. “I _told_ you, and still-“

“Kill me” he challenged. “Go ahead. You hate me, right? Give in to the desire. Show everyone you’re just the same as me.”

My finger on the trigger twitched, and then I heard an angry groan from Daiki, before he grabbed the kidnapper on the front of his shirt, punching him hard in the face. I blinked as the guy fell back, immediately unconscious.

“Great, now that we shut him up” he murmured, turning to me again. “Put that thing down, Chinen. You know it’s no use.”

“Right” Ryosuke nodded, slowly and carefully approaching me from the side. “Think of Yuya, okay? He’s the one that counts now.”

“Don’t come closer” I whispered, breathless, my hands around the gun shaking.

“There is no sense in revenge right now” Ryosuke continued. “Yuya could die if we don’t act immediately. So put that gun down, okay? Let’s concentrate on Yuya!”

My eyes traveled to Yuya’s motionless form on the ground. How Kei was pressing his jacket against the wound in his stomach.

“Yuya would not want you to shoot, and you know that” Ryosuke said softly, now standing right beside me. Hesitantly, he put a hand on my shoulder, reaching out the other. “Chinen, give me the gun” he continued. “Let’s stop this and concentrate on what we can do for Yuya, okay?”

His hand closed around the gun, and I let him take it out of my hands. I stared at Yuya on the ground for another moment, before I moved over to him, falling onto my knees next to Kota.

“Yuya?” I whispered. His eyes were closed and there was no reaction. I reached out my hand, touching his face. “Yuya? Can you hear me?”

Still no reaction. I grabbed his shoulder, shaking him first lightly, then more forcefully, when I still got no reaction.

“YUYA!” I called. “YUYA, ANSWER!”

“Chinen, stop! You’ll hurt him!” Kota called, holding me back, but I still continued to shake him. Daiki came from behind me, pulling me away.

“Chinen, calm down! The ambulance is on the way! Please!” he murmured, and I let out a sob, still struggling against him.

It was then, that I heard the sirens.

***

“I talked to the police” Hikaru said quietly as he joined us in the hospital corridors hours later. “They wanted to interview Chinen, but I told them to wait a little.”

“Right” Keito nodded. “Thanks.”

“Any news from Yuya?” he checked.

“Nothing” Keito shook his head.

Hikaru sighed, folding his hands in a nervous gesture, staring off into space.

Daiki was sitting next to me, gently stroking my back, as if that would help anything. Kei was at my other side, throwing me careful gazes now and then, and asking me if I wanted something to drink or to eat. I declined. I felt sick.

Yuto was sitting opposite of us on a bench, Kota next to him.

“It’s my fault” he murmured over and over again. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault” Kota said quietly, patting his shoulder. “Stop beating yourself up, okay?”

Mostly, we were just silent, everyone caught up in their own thoughts.

I could not stop shaking. The thought that Yuya could not survive, that I could really lose him forever… I could not deal with it. I _needed_ him. He could not leave me.

Then, the door to the operation rooms sprang open, and a doctor came out. Ryosuke jumped up immediately, stopping him.

“How is Yuya?” he asked. “Will he make it?”

“We can’t tell at the moment” the doctor said matter-of-factly. “He’s losing a lot of blood. We’re trying our best. Please be patient.”

Suddenly, there were hasty footsteps, and a couple of nurses appeared from the operation room.

“His blood pressure is falling!” they called towards the doctor. “We are losing him! Please return quickly!”

I stared. I stopped breathing, and I think my heart stopped beating.

“Get the blood conserves!” the doctor ordered before disappearing through the doors again. Ryosuke stared after him, murmuring: “You’re kidding me, right?”

As if in trance, I stood. Everyone turned to me with huge eyes.

“Chinen” Kei said quietly, grabbing my shoulder. “What-?”

I could not respond. My last thought was Yuya, before everything became black. I heard them call my name, but then I lost my consciousness.

***

_I walked down the dark corridors. My footsteps echoed in my ears. I felt as empty as my surroundings._

_Then, I reached the doors. I opened them, to see all the band members standing around the bed, facing in different directions. Their eyes were swollen, and they were quiet. No one was looking at the figure lying on the bed._

_I entered the room, taking slow steps towards the bed._

_Yuya was lying on it, still and pale. The machines were turned off. He was not breathing._

_Shakily, I reached out for his hand. It was cold._

_“Yuya” I whispered, tears running down my face. He did not answer, not even stir. He would never answer again. Never smile again. Never look at me again._

_I sank to the floor, closing my eyes, sobbing. I pressed down on the still hand in mine desperately. I could not believe it. He could not be dead. It was like I could still hear his voice in my head, calling my name…_

_“Yuri… Yuri…”_

“YURI! WAKE UP, DAMNIT!”

I jumped, looking up into Yuya’s face.

“Could you please let go of my hand?” he asked with a sigh, trying to pull away from my tight grip. I let go in trance. “Thanks” he sighed. “You know, it’s still broken, you could be a little careful…”

“You’re alive” I murmured, breathless.

“Yes” Kei chided, and I noticed just now that he and Keito were sitting on the other side of the bed. “Just like he was the 2 times you woke up before. Will you stop thinking him dead already?!”

Keito elbowed him, and flashed me an encouraging smile. I looked up at Yuya, still stunned.

Yuya sighed as he met my gaze.

“Stop looking at me like that, okay?” he pleaded. “Like you’re going to burst into tears any moment. I can’t take it. I’m fine, okay? Stop worrying, at last!”

My eyes traced the lines of his face, and stayed on his eyes. I tried to let the fact sink in: Yuya was fine. He would stay with me.

“Oh god” Kei sighed, getting up. “I can’t watch this. Get a room. I’ll get myself a coffee or something, and I hope you’re done with being all lovey-dovey when I come back.”

Keito chuckled as he followed him, leaving me and Yuya alone in the hospital room.

Yuya smiled a little, looking at me. He pulled at my arm with his unhurt hand.

“Come here” he whispered.

I leaned over to him, letting Yuya pull me into his arms. I took in his scent, mixed with the smell of hospital and medication, and I could hear his heart beating strongly in his chest. I bit my lip, trying hard to hold back my tears.

Yuya was safe. He would stay with me, and not leave.

I put my arms around his neck and pulled him against me tightly, burying my head in his shoulder.

“Don’t cry again” he shooed, stroking over my back. “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m fine?”

“It did not quite sink in yet, sorry” I whispered.

Yuya chuckled, kissing the top of my head. I let out a soft sob.

“I’m so sorry” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Because of me-“

“You and Yuto sound like a broken record” Yuya sighed. “For our next album, we should write you a solo song called ‘I’m sorry’, so you can let all your feelings out for once and I won’t have to listen to it over and over again.”

I stayed silent, and Yuya pulled away a little, making me look up at him.

“Stop making it seem like you were the one trying to kill me” Yuya said seriously. “That was this guy, and if you haven’t noticed, he was a little crazy. But that’s over now. He is in prison, and I survived. So could you please do me the favor and cheer up a little? Because I can’t see that face on you any longer.”

I tried to smile, and Yuya’s eyes turned soft as he leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine. I held onto him, returning the kiss, letting the warm feeling it gave me spread through me.

“I love you” I murmured against his lips. “Please don’t ever leave me alone, okay? I need you.”

“I know” Yuya answered, chuckling. “You said that before. For example when you kissed me in front of all the guys, declaring your eternal love for me.”

I froze, my face feeling hot, suddenly.

“I really did that?” I whispered in embarrassment.

“You were a little out of your mind” Yuya shrugged. “You did not quite realize their presence, I think.”

“Oh god” I groaned. “No wonder Kei fled like that a minute ago.”

“Yeah, well” Yuya chuckled, pulling me into another kiss.

“But they are okay with it, right?” I asked as he pulled away again.

“I think some of them were already aware of it” Yuya frowned. “At least Ryosuke seemed not surprised. Daiki seemed kind of relieved, to be honest. And Kota swore that we had their support. So I guess, yeah, they’re okay with it.”

“That’s good” I smiled. Yuya smiled back, stroking over my head.

“And now just stop worrying and relax, okay?” he said gently. “Go home and take a rest. You’ve been at the hospital every waking minute. It’s time you slept some other place than the side of my bed.”

“Alright” I nodded, taking a deep breath.

“Besides, your parents will come home tomorrow, right?” he pointed out. “You should be there to explain some things, I think.”

“Yeah” I nodded, making a face. “Ryosuke offered to stay over and be there when they arrive, to help me out. He was always better at talking than me, and my Mom will surely freak.”

“I bet she will” Yuya nodded. “But Ryosuke will be able to talk her down.”

“I think he just wants to make sure I’m not alone over the night, though” I sighed. “He still worries a lot about me.”

“Everyone worries about you” Yuya rolled his eyes. “You’ve been a walking dead!”

“Sorry” I murmured. Yuya glared.

“What did I say about apologies?!”

“Sorry” I murmured. “I mean – I’ll just shut up.”

“Yeah, that’s better” Yuya smiled, kissing me once more before pulling away completely. “And now let’s get some safety distance in between us, before Kei comes back and walks straight out again.”

I smiled, sitting back down on the chair, just a moment before the door opened.

***

“You seem to feel better” Ryosuke said hours later, after he had turned up at my doorstep with Chinese takeout as dinner. “I’m glad.”

“Yuya talked me down a little” I admitted, smiling.

“Yeah, he has an awful lot of influence on you” Ryosuke chuckled. “We tried to calm you down for ages, but no luck so far. I guess we can be glad that we have him.”

“So you’re really okay?” I checked once more. “With this thing between me and Yuya, I mean.”

“Seriously?” Ryosuke chuckled. “I would have been surprised if you’d _not_ been in love with him, after your behavior. It explains a lot, you know. And don’t worry, you two have our support, no matter what happens.”

I smiled.

“Plus, this whole thing has a good side, too” Ryosuke shrugged, taking a bite of his rice. “I think no other band has as strong a bond as we have now! One should try to top that!”

“Yeah” I nodded. “But I still have to survive the talk with my Mom tomorrow, explaining why there is a blood stain in her precious wooden floor.”

Ryosuke laughed, and I took a bite of my dinner, feeling myself slowly starting to relax.

It was over, everyone was safe. And if anything happened again, I knew I had a lot of people on my side.

Especially Yuya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, did you like it? Please let me know what you think of the ending, so curious XD Thanks to everyone who followed my first Takachii story to the end! Love you guys!
> 
> Originally posted: http://vflmaeuschen.blog.com/2012/10/18/multichapter-in-the-shadows-chapter-7/


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